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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 
Microfiche 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The 
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the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


[T/|    Coloured  covers/ 
IJLI    Couverture  de  couleur 

I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 
D 


D 


Couverture  endommagde 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

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Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

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Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr^e  peut  causer  d?  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
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Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
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point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


r~~|    Coloured  pages/ 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachetdes  ou  piqu^es 

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Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
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I      I  Pages  damaged/ 

rn  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

r~y|  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

I      I  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I      I  Only  edition  available/ 


The 
posi 
of  tl 
film 


Orlfl 

begi 

the 

sion 

othc 

first 

sion 

or  ill 


The 
shall 
TINl 
whic 

Map 
diffe 
entir 
begii 
right 
requ 
meth 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelurs, 
etc.,  ont  6x6  filmies  6  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


u 


26X 


30X 


12X 


16X 


7 
20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
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filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

IVIaps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  filmi  fut  reprodult  grAce  A  la 
ginirositA  de: 

La  bibliothdque  det  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  ia  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmage. 

Les  exemplaires  origlnaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  filmis  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
origlnaux  sont  film6s  en  commengant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernldre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — »►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  11  est  film6  A  partir 
de  i'angle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d  images  ndnessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

-?1 


1 


I 


THOU: 


L.    \ 


*  IMm  *  HOOgR 


ALEXANDRIA   BAY,   N.  Y. 


THE   LARGEST  HOTEL  ON  THE  RIVER. 


LIGHTED    WITH    ELECTRICITY. 


Elevator  apd  all  the  Moclerp  toproveii^ents. 


SEND     FOR    FREE    GUIDE    BOOlt. 


^.   S:.   SCTJTXiO^TE,     -     -     I=I^o:p:RIETO^^. 


u 


A 


I 


mimsxx 


MEANDERINGS 


AMONG 


A  THOUSAND  ISLANDS: 


OR,    AN    ACCOUNT    OF 


CAPT.   VISGER'S   DAILY  TRIP 


ON    THE 


RIVER  ST.  LAWRENCE, 


WATERTOWN,  N.  Y.: 

TIMES  AND  REFORMER  PRINTING  AND  PUBLISHING  HOUSE, 

1886. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1883, 

IN  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  LIBRARIAN  OF  CONGRESS, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


MEANDERINGS    AMONG    A 


THOUSAND    ISLANDS, 


BY    THE    WANDERER. 


The  St.  Lawrence  is  a  very  monarch  of  rivers.  The  rainfalls  of 
half  a  continent,  gathered  into  the  largest  reservoirs  of  fresh  water 
upon  the  earth's  surface,  constitute  its  sources  of  supply.  The 
course  of  its  stream  for  more  than  seven  hundred  miles,  from  Lake 
Ontario  to  the  Gulf,  where  its  vast  volume  mingles  with  the 
Ocean,  lies  between  shores,  and  over  soils  and  rocks  whose  char- 
acter changes  with  almost  every  geological  formation  known. 
Scattered  along  its  whole  length  are  numerous  Islands,  whose  va- 
ried aspects  and  formations,  as  well  as  the  constantly  changing 
appearance  of  its  banks,  present  every  variety  of  natural  scenery 
to  the  voyager  upon  the  waters. 

That  portion  of  the  River  which  extends  from  Lake  Ontario 
down  the  course  of  its  stream  for  about  fifty  miles  and  which  is 
irregularly  filled  up  with  Islands,  of  which  the  entire  number  is 
probably  near  two  thousand,*  varying  in  size  from  a  few  feet  in 
diameter  to  many  miles  in  extent,  was  originally  termed  by  the 
old  French  and  Canadian  voyagers 

THE  LAKE  OF  A  THOUSAND  ISLANDS. 

It  has  a  breadth  from  Kingston,  in  Canada,  to  Cape  Vincent,  on 
the  American  shore,  the  direct  line  being  across  Long  or  Wolfe 
Island,  which  is  about  where  the  waters,  in  common  parlance, 
begin  to  be  designated  as  "the  River"  of  about  ten  miles,  from 

hnnd^'  M'E^CT''"°i*^'L*''v.?l*^*^  ^  2'*®"  ^s'^e^*-    They  are  commonly  said  to  be  about  eiehteen 

f w^^n  P«^&*^*L'**?T°u™i^':  '^  ascertained  by  the  commissioners  for  rmming  the  bounto^- 
\^    ^"^^^^  ^i  *^®  V^^^^  States,  was  1692,  counting  every  projectinir  ro«k  ta\^s  but  aStifffft 

a  ""^The fLt^?ha?no'?ri^*r',7''-^/^l*  :^*^«  /umber'^aScoidtog  to  the  K^^sSe'eylTM 
fp^Vir  H«li«!i      i*^      u  °"*  5?i?^  the  limit  of  what  are  known  as  the  Thousand  Islands  is  verv  imner- 

a?KXe^gSfe&tiSi^n*5^^^^^^^^  •^"^  '^«  actual  num^!?iJSSS?S. 


fSf- 


4  THE  ISLAND   WANDERER.  * 

which  it  gradually  though  irregularly  diminishes  to  less  than  one 
mile,  where  a  ferry  now  connects  the  termini  of  railroads  at  the 
Canadian  town  of  Brockville,  and  the  village  of  Morristown  on  the 
New  York  side.  It  is  this  portion,  perhaps  more  particularly  the 
central  and  lower  part  of  it,  where  the  Islands  are  more  closely 
disposed,  which  has  come  to  be  designated  as  the  "Thousand 
Islands  of  the  St.  Lawrence,"  and  which  has  long  been  known  and 
celebrated  by  poets  and  novelists  for  its  singular  and  natural 
beauty.  The  wild  forest,  intermingled  with  partial  cultivation 
upon  its  Islands  and  shores;  the  many  narrow  and  tortuous  chan- 
nels, land-locked  bays,  with  secluded  and  sheltered  nooks  among 
its  several  clusters,  alternated  with  extensive  stretches  of  open 
water,  many  of  which  themselves  might  well  be  called  lakes,  all 
clear  and  pure  as  the  most  transparent  crystal,  present  scenes  of 
enchantment,  whose  beauties  are  ever  changing  and  never  weary- 
ing to  the  eye  of  the  beholder. 

\ 


THE  STEAMER  "ISLAND   WANDERER:' 


It  is  a  region,  which,  while  multitudes  have  desired  to  visit,  and 
in  fact  of  which  may  have  caught  partial  glimpses  in  the  hasty 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER.  5 

passage  of  the  old  St.  Lawrence  steamers  down  the  usually  navi- 
gated channels,  yet  comparatively  few  have  been  able  entirely  to 
explore.  The  time  and  expense  required  to  traverse  all  its  multi- 
plied channels,  and  the  meagre  facilities  within  reach  for  doing 
80,  have,  until  very  recently,  effectually  concealed  many  of  its 
most  delightful  views  from  the  observation  of  the  multitudes  who 
desire  to  see  them.  Within  a  few  years  and  largely  by  the  efforts 
of 

CAPT.  E,    W.    VISGBjH, 

a  life-long  resident  of  the  vicinity,  who  has  constantly  endeavored 
to  extend  the  excursions  of  his  steam  yachts,  many  of  the  more 
interesting  and  less  frequented  localities  have  been  brought  to  the 
delighted  vision  of  thousands  who  otherwise  had  never  come  with- 
in  their  reach. 

The  very  best  and  most  satisfactory  view  that  can  possibly  be 
obtained,  in  a  short  time,  of  the  wonderful  beauty  here  so  lavishly 
displayed,  is  undoubtedly  to  be  had  in  taking  an  excursion  on  one 
of  the  trips  of  this  steam  yacht. 

TJIB  ''ISLAND  WANDBREW 

has  been  built  and  arranged  with  the  express  purpose  of  affording 
the  best  facilities  for  visiting  the  scenery  among  the  Islands. 
While,  of  course,  it  is  not  pretended  to  pass  through  every  channel 
and  to  give  a  view  of  every  Island,  or  even  to  embrace  the  whole 
extent  of  all  these  several  magnificent  clusters,  the  trip  does  pre- 
sent in  its  entire  compass  of  about  forty  miles,  aud  in  a  general 
view,  the  more  prominent  features  of  the  most  interesting  portions, 
such  as  is  net  to  be  had  so  satisfactorily  in  any  other  way.  Nor 
in  fact,  is  it  to  be  obtained  at  all  in  any  way,  except  by  the  em- 
ployment at  a  large  expense  of 

PRIVATE  YACHTS. 

These  from  their  smaller  sizes  are  able  to  enter  the  narrower  chan- 
nels, and  so  to  visit  the  several  localities  in  more  particular  detail, 
yet  from  their  smaller  elevation  above  the  water  fail  to  present  the 
more  extended  panoramas,  the  views  of  which  are  obtained  from 

the  hiffher  decks  of  the  WnnHArpr  u-nf\  i-omrr»ffon  oio^  +1,^, . 

several  days  in  exploring  the  ground  traversed  by  her  in  a  single 
trip.  If  one  has  leisure  and  means  at  command,  it  would  un- 
doubtedly be  pleasant  and  interesting,  after  obtaining  the  general 


6 


THE   ISLAND  WANDERER. 


view  of  which  we  have  spoken,  to  visit  with  smaller  boats  and 
more  particularly  to  explore  the  narrower  channels  and  more  se- 
cluded nooks,  occasionally  taking  a  bass  or  pickerel  for  picnic 
dinner  from  the  well-known  fishing  grounds,  of  which  we  catch  the 
most  delightful  though  more  transient  glimpses  from  the  deck  of 
the  Wanderer. 

We  take  it  for  granted  that  no  one  who  visits  these  now  cele- 
brated Islands  will  wish  to  leave  them  without  participating  at 
least  once  (and  many  go  many  times  without  failure  of  interest)  in 
the  enjoyment  of  this  excursion,  and  as  it  will  be  regarded  by 
many  persons  as  desirable  to  preserv^e  some  memento  of  so  delight- 
ful an  experience,  this  little  account  of  the  trip,  with  some  local 
and  historivjal  information  in  regard  to  prominent  places  and  ob- 
jects of  interest  which  it  brings  to  view,  has  been  prepared,  which 
in  connection  with  the 

MAP  OF  THE  ROUTE  i 

and  the  adjacent  portions  of  the  river  (of  which  copies  are  for  sale 
on  the  boat,)  will  both  serve  the  immediate  purpose  of  giving  such 
information  as  is  often  desired,  and  afterward  of  preserving  their 
features  in  the  memory  of  those  who  have  enjoyed  the  excursion. 

As  the  boat  stops  briefly  at  the  principal  summer  resorts  on 
her  route  among  the  Islands,  the  visitor  may  commence  his  jour- 
ney at  any  convenient  point.  The  time  table  and  fares  are  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  give  every  one  the  entire  round,  and  generally  if  de- 
sired to  stop  over  a  few  hours  at  any  of  the  landings  between  the 
trips  and  assume  his  journey  on  the  return  of  the  boat,  all  in  one 
day  and  for  a  single  moderate  fare. 

The  trip  proper,  however,  commences  at  the  village  of 

ALEXANDRIA  BAY, 

which  seems  to  be  a  sort  of  central  headquarters  for  most  of  the 
various  movements  of  summer  life  among  the  Islands,  although  it 
is  perhaps  true  that  hundreds  who  have  reached  only  some  of  the 
upper  parks  suppose  (we  think  however  erroneously)  that  they 
have  seen  the  Thousand  Islands,  when,  in  fact,  they  have  never  yet 
set  eyes  on  the  loveliness  which  surrounds  this  most  charming  of 
all  their  summer  resorts.  For  the  sake,  then,  of  following  the  en- 
tire route  in  regular  order,  we  will  make  this  our 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER.  7 

STARTING  POINT, 

and  begin  our  account  with  the  departure  of  the  boat  from  her 
dock  in  front  of  Cornwall  Brothers'  stone  store.  I  do  not  propose 
to  give  any  lengthened  description  of  the  village  and  its  famous 
hotels.  This  is  to  be  found  in  the  Hotel  Guide  Books,  and  as  this 
little  book  is  supposed  to  be  in  the  hands  of  those  who  either  have 
had  or  will  have  opportunity  to  see  those  for  themselves,  the  la- 
bor of  description  may  well  be  spared.  Of  the  village  itself,  it 
may  be  of  some  interest  to  the  curious  in  the  local  antiquarian 
history,  to  note  that  its  site  was  selected  so  far  back  as  1804  by  a 
surveyor  for 

JAMES  LE  RA  Y  DE  CHA  UMONT. 

This  gentleman  was  the  son  of  a  distinguished  French  nobleman, 
and  left  the  court  of  France  towards  the  close  of  the  last  century 
and  settled  in  this  country.  Whether  or  not  it  was  in  anticipation 
of  the  political  troubles  then  brewing,  and  which  a  few  years  later 
eventuated  in  the  bloody  scenes  of  the  French  revolution,  we  can- 
not certainly  say,  but  it  is  a  well-known  historical  fact  that  then 
and  soon  afterward  there  was  a  very  considerable  French  immigra- 
tion to  this  and  other  points  contiguous  to  the  St.  Lawrence. 
DeChaumont  became  a  proprietor  of  extensive  tracts  of  land  in 
Jefferson  county,  and  it  was  under  his  auspices  that  this  town  and 
others  were  first  permanently  settled.  He  gave  his  name  and  the 
names  of  various  members  of  his  family  to  many  towns  and 
villages,  among  them  that  of  his  son  Alexander  to  Alexandria. 
He  was  long  known  as  a  very  popular  and  public-spirited  citizen, 
who  not  only  encouraged  settlement  and  improvement  upon  his 
own  lands,  but  identified  himself  with  all  the  interests  of  the 
country  of  his  temporary  adoption,  but  finally  returned  to  his  es- 
tate in  France  about  1810. 

Alexandria  Bay  was  chosen  as  the  most  feasible  locality  along 
this  part  of  the  river  for  a 

PORT  OF  ENTRY 

for  a  considerable  section  of  the  adjacent  country,  being,  in  fact, 
the  only  good  harbor  easily  accessible  between  Clayton  and  Mor- 
ristown.  a,  distance  of  about  thirtv-fnur  miles  In  th*»  vprv  pariv 
settlement  it  had  a  considerable  trade  in  timber  and  staves,  of 
which  vast  quantities  were  collected  every  season  in  the  sheltered 
waters  near  the  village.     I  have  thought  of  this  as  the  probable 


'^■•-■'4 


THE  ISLAND   WANDEKEK. 

"bay,"  probably  the  lower  ««  ^T:  J^^j;^  .^^g**  ^as  fir.t  built, 

peninsular  point  and  neck  upon  which  t^e  viua„e 

Ld  which  the  venerable  Chauncey  Westcott,  E.q    now  the       ^^^ 

Sfy^J^ult  r^SL^tarroVrf  pVlatU  and  enabled 

"'^"^u^Saprwetrllwellingt^o  long  upon  these  local  men 
■     ^  L  S  and  you  will  be  impatient  for  the  enjoyment 
Tthe  P  esent tn  the  Commencement  of  our  promised  excursion 
We  AllXose  the  afternoon  trip  as  the  one  more  generally  pat- 

^i^d^tm  this  p;--fj::ri:rrrr:aMur^:o 

Sr:—rhrL^=  freely  the  pure  .onic  air 
fhat  at  this  hour  is  usually  fanning  the  surface  of  the  watei 

'"  Go£on  board  a  few  minutes  before  the  hour  of  starting,  we 
may  have  a  brief  opportunity  to  gaze  upon  the 

yANGRAMA  OF  LIFE  AND  BE  A  UTY 

^V-h  — eads  around  us.     It  may  be  supposed  that  you  have  not 
;kd  to  notice  the  magnificent  hotels  whicU  are  just  a^hai>d,Jhe 
two  lareer    the  "Thousand  Island  House    and  the    ^'^f  "'°"' 
loth  Xk  a  few  rods  on  -the.- side  immediately  fronm^^^^^^^ 
the  well  kept  grounds  extending  to  the  river,  and  the    St.  Law 


TJIK   ISLAND    VVANDEKEH. 


9 


5? 


renee,"  somewhat  smaller,  but  still  able  to  accommodate  about  100 
guests,  just  opposite  us  and  a  block  further  back.  While  waiting 
for  the  boat  to  start  let  us  take  a  preliminary  view  of 

WHAT  IS   GOIJSG    ON  ABOUT    US. 

The  dock  itself  presents  a  busy  scene.  Lusty  porters  sweating 
under  the  enormous  loads  of  baggage  going  off  in  the  afternoon 
boats  for  the  railroads  at  Cape  Vincent  and  Clayton,  and  parties 
of  ladies  and  gentlemen  hurrying  to  the  same  destination.  Skiffs 
are  gaily  flitting  in  various  directions  over  the  river  in  front,  some 
fllled  with  parties  of  pleasure  rowing  about  for  their  own  amuse- 
ment; some  intent  on  preparations  for  Ashing;  some  perhaps 
bringing  passengers  from  the  Islands  in  the  vicinity,  for  depart- 
ure by  the  boats,  or  perhaps  to  join  the  Wanderer  in  her  favorite 
excursion. 

THE   MORE   DISTANT  SURROUNDINGS 

may  well  also  take  a  moment  of  our  attention.  Look  right  over 
the  stern  of  our  boat  across  the  bay  below  Crossmon's.  On  the 
rocky  point  beyondis 


BONNIE  CASTLE, 
the  beautiful  and  unique  summer  residence  of  Dr.  J.  G.  Holland, 
whose  name  you  will  at  once  recognize  as  the  accomplished  and 


r 


10 


THE    ISLAND    WANDERER. 


■  < 


talented  editor  of  Scribner's  Magazine,  and  one  of  the  most  cele- 
brated of  our  American  literary  men — whom  not  to  know  some- 
thing of,  especially  here  at  Alexandria  Bay,  for  which  he  has  done 
so  much,  and  where  he  is  so  loved  and  honored,  were  a  display  of 
ignorance  not  lightly  to  be  confessed.  The  Doctor  thinks  this  part 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  if  not  the  most  delightful,  yet  "the  sweetest 
spot  on  earth,"  and  no  doubt  the  high  excellence  of  his  literary 
work  is  largely  due  to  the  inspiration  of  the  summer  breezes  which 
for  three  or  four  months  in  the  year  it  gives  him  so  richly  to 
enjoy.*    In  front  of  Bonnie  Castle  we  have 

AJV  EXTENDED  AND  MAGNIFICENT  VIEW 

down  the  channel  of  the  river,  which  is  studded  with  islands  that 
seem  to  float  like  emeralds  on  a  sea  of  glass.  On  a  few  of  them  are 
small  cottages,  but  they  are  too  distant  to  be  readily  distinguished, 
and  in  fact  for  the  owners  of  most  of  them  we  shall  ourselves  have 
to  refer  to  the  list  published  in  connectiion  with  the  map.  The 
Sunken  Rock  Light  House  about  half  a  mile  distant,  beyond 
which  lies  an  island  of  some  forty  acres  in  its  primitive  forest  con- 
dition, called  Deer  Island,  and  the  Canadian  Light  House  about 
four  miles  distant  on  the  head  of  a  large  island  known  here  as 
"Grenadier,"  you  will  not  fail  to  see.  A  little  to  the  left  of  these, 
across  the  channel  of  the  river,  about  a  mile  distant,  but  still  in 
good  view,  is  what  is  known  as 

MANHATTAN  ISLAND, 

on  which  are  the  tasteful  summer  residences  of  Judge  James 
Spencer,  of  New  York  city,  and  J.  L.  Hasbrouck.  It  is  the  largest 
and  central  island  of  quite  a  little  group  which  is  known  as 

♦Note.  Since  the  first  edition  of  this  work  was  printed,  Dr.  Holland  has  passed  away.  He  died 
suddenly  at  his  residence  in  New  York  city  in  October,  1881 .  His  last  utterance  is  supposed  to  have 
been  inspired  with  the  thought  of  a  projected  visit  to  his  place  here  to  look  after  some  improvements 
which  he  had  planned,  and  to  which  he  had  often  referred  for  sometime  before,  for  he  loved  the 
Islands  almost  like  a  child.  The  expression  quoted  in  the  text  is  literally  that  givw  i  ip  reply  to  a 
question  of  the  writer  whether  he  did  not  weary  of  the  ht.  Lawrence— "It  is  to  me,''  ue  said,  -'the 
Sweetest  spot  on  earth."  He  then  went  on  to  speak  of  the  constant,  all- winter  longing  he  felt,  almost 
counting  the  days  to  the  approach  of  the  time  when  he  could  escape  the  weariness,  or  as  he  ex- 
pressed it.  the  "incessant  grind"  of  the  city  to  this  delightful  home.  Dr.  Holland  was  of  course  known 
to  the  world  chiefly  as  one  of  the  most  popular  of  American  authors.  But  here  he  was  best  known 
and  appreciated  simply  as  a  man,  a  citizen,  a  Christian  and  a  public  benefactor.  \t  his  first  visit  is 
the  summer  of  1877,  which  he  spent  as  a  guest  at  one  of  the  note's,  he  decided  to  make  this  his  sum- 
mer home,  and  purchased  the  point  upon  which  Bonnie  Castle  now  stands.  He  at  once  put  his  heart 
into  all  the  needs  of  the  place,  and  identified  himself  wit^  its  interests  in  every  plan  for  public  im- 
provcSscut,  cspeeittiiy  in  istelligeaee  sud  siorality.  The  sucecssiui  sstdblishrucut  of  a  youne  peoplea" 
literary  association,  and  the  extensive  enlargement  and  adornment  of  the  church,  atwhicn  he  and 
his  family  constantly  attended,  were  some  of  the  results  not  only  of  his  large-hearted  liberality,  but- 
of  his  personal  attention  and  effort.  He  was  loved  and  mourned  in  Alexandria  Bay.  as  few  men  have 
been  anywhere  upon  so  short  an  acquaintance.  A  handsome  memorial  tablet  bearing  his  name  has 
been  placed  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  people  of  the  village  in  the  Reformed  Church, 
whose  inscription  recites  that  he  was  "an  earnest  and  cheerful  Christian,  our  beloved  fellow  wor- 
shipper, friend  and  generous  helper  of  all  good  things." 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 


11 


"Manhattan  group,"  some  of  which  are  connected  bv  rustic 
bridges,  and  together  are  a  little  paradise.  This  is  the  first  Island 
on  which  any  one  attempted  a  summer  home. 

8ETFI  GREEN, 

now  widely  known  as  the  fish  commissioner  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  built  a  cottage  there,  where  his  family  summered,  and  he 
went  a  fishing  for  two  or  three  seasons,  about  twenty-five  years 
ago,  and  it  is  a  very  probable  supposition  that  he  had  acquired, 
a  part  at  least,  of  the  skill  in  fish-ology  which  has  since  become 
so  celebrated  and  useful.  Glancing  still  around  to  the  left  we  get 
a  glimpse  of  a  small  house  on  elevated  ground,  which  is  on 

DESHLER'S, 

a  beautiful  Island  of  about  fifteen  acres,  the  property  of  W.  G. 
Deshler,  Esq.,  a  banker  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  one  of  the  early  dis- 
coverers of  the  beauty  of  the  Thousand  Islands,  who  for  many 
years  has  generally  made  Alexandria  Bay  his  summer  quarters. 
The  little  cottage  is  for  the  accommodation  of  the  man  who  takes 
care  of  the  Island,  Mr.  Deshler  preferring  to  remain  with  his  f&,mily 
at  Crossmon's.     StiU  further  to  the  left,  and  above  Deshler' s,  is 

HART'S  ISLAND, 

on  the  highest  point  of  which,  the  tower  and  roof  of  a  large  and 
handsome  cottage  show  themselves  among  the  oaks  which  crown 
the  summit.  It  was  erected  by  the  Hon.  E.  K.  Hart,  of  Albion, 
N.  Y.,  about  1873,  but  has  usually  for  a  few  summers  past  been 
occupied  by  parties  from  Ogdensburg.  Hart's  Island  is  reputed 
as  the  place  where  the  Irish  poet,  Moore,  wrote  the  celebrated  Cana- 
dian Boat  Song,  early  in  the  present  century.  The  tradition  has 
this  foundation,  that  the  published  works  of  Moore  mentioned  it  as 
having  been  written  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  as  also  one  other  of  his 
poems,  and  since  this  establishes  the  fact  that  he  visited  the 
Islands  somewhere,  the  song  is  just  as  likely  to  have  been  com- 
posed here  as  anywhere  else,  which  is  probably  about  all  there  is 
of  it. 

Away  past  the  head  of  Hart's  Island  and  quite  across  a  larger 
intervening  stretch  of  water  on  the  other  side  of  it,  we  get  a  view 
of  several  cottager^  ki  the  forest  on 


'I 


12 


THE  ISLAND   WANDEKElt. 


WESTMINSTER  PARK, 


which  occupies  five  hundred  acres  of  the  lower  point  of  Wells 
Island.  Yo(.  will  also  notice  the  long  dock  built  for  the  use  of  the 
Park  on  this  side,  and  some  distance  back  from  the  shore,  the  spire 
of  Bethune  Chapel  crowning  the  high  wooded  knoll  where  it  shows 
Itself  among  the  forest  growth.  It  is  a  pretty  structure,  erected 
by  the  Park  Association  for  the  use  of  its  residents  and  visitors, 
where  divine  worship  is  observed  in  the  usage  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  during  the  visiting  season.  As  opportunity  will  be  given 
to  call  at  the  Park  on  our  return  homeward,  a  nearer  and  more 
satisfactory  view  of  the  improvements  of  this  magnificent  summer 
resort,  which  are  more  on  the  other  side,  may  be  had  by  any  one 
desiring  to  visit  them.  The  next  in  order  of  the  circuit  of  the 
panorama  before  us,  is  a  fine  summer  house  erected  in  1881  for 
Mrs.  LeConte  of  Philadelphia.     It  is  on 


ISLE  IMPERIAL, 


\ 


which  was  formerly  not  much  more  than  a  little  cluster  of  rocks 
with  a  few  trees  on  one  of  them,  but  having  been  enlarged  by  fill- 
ing be'tween  and  around  them,  is  so  finely  located  in  front  of  the 
hotels  and  but  a  few  hundred  yards  distant,  as  to  have  become  one 
of  the  most  attractive  of  residences.  Next  in  order  is  a  new  cot- 
tage on  another  small  Island  formerly  called  "Maud,"  not  much 
more  than  the  size  of  a  city  lot,  but  named  by  Dr.  Livingston,  of 
New  York  city,  the  present  proprietor,  "Linlithgow  Island." 
Miss  Bullock,  of  Adams,  owns  the  cottage  perched  on  the  cliff  al- 
most directly  beyond,  which  is  on  a  high  bluff  of  Wells  Island, 
well  named  Point  Lookout,  as  it  looks  out  on  the  most  magnifi- 
cent prospect  in  every  direction.  Professor  Hopkins,  of  Hamilton 
College,  owns  and  occupies  a  small  cottage  on  a  jutting  point  of 
the  same  Island  immediately  above.  On  the  same  Island  not  far 
above,  are  to  be  seen  between  the  smaller  Islands,  some  of  the 
buildings  of  a  large  dairy  farm  of  five  hundred  acres,  at  which  oui' 
cottage  summer  residents  find  it  convenient  to  be  supplied  with 
milk  during  their  stay.  Nearly  between  the  dairy  buildings  and 
our  position, 

FLORENCE  ISLAND 

has  a  small  tasty  cottage  owned  by  H.  S.  Chandler,  Esq.,  under- 
stood to  be  connected  with  the  "New  York  Independent." 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 

RYE  ISLAND 


13 


f  Wells 
se  of  the 
the  spire 
it  shows 
erected 
visitors, 
byterian 
3e  given 
id  more 
summer 
my  one 
fc  of  the 
1881  for 


i 

ii  rocks 
by  fill- 
t  of  the 
ome  one 
lew  cot- 
)t  much 
jston,  of 
Island." 
cliff  al- 
\  Island, 
magnifi- 
lamilton 
point  of 
.  not  far 
3  of  the 
hich  oui" 
ed  with 
ngs  and 


immediately  above,  was  cleared  of  its  timber  some  years  since,  and 
some  cultivation  attempted  upon  it,  but  the  effort  to  make  it  pro- 
ductive has  long  since  been  abandoned,  and  having  partially  grown 
up  with  young  trees,  it  is  a  favorite  camping  ground  for  parties  of 
young  people  who  desire  to  remain  in  the  vicinity  of  the  village 
and  hotels.  It  is  still  ovmed  by  Messrs.  Walton,  the  original  pro- 
prietors of  all  the  islands  in  the  vicinity,  who  have  declined  for 
the  present  to  dispose  of  it,  though  we  believe  they  have  had  fre- 
quent opportunities  to  do  so  at  a  large  price. 

FRIENDLY  ISLAND, 
which  will  be  easily  distinguished  as  we  pass  on  up  our  course,  by 
its  name  conspicuously  painted  on  the  steep  abattis  of  rock  which 
fronts  the  channel  of  the  river  just  above,  is  owned  by  some  gen- 
tlemen in  New  York  city,  who  purchased  it  some  years  since,  as 
was  understood  for  purposes  of  improvement,  which  for  some  rea- 
son have  not  been  affected. 

In  the  interval  between  Rye  and  Friendly  Islands,  peeps  out 
of  the  foliage  where  it  is  snugly  nestled  among  embowering  trees, 
an  unpretending  cottage  that  you  would  hardly  observe  except  by 
close  inspection.     It  is  on  Welcome  Island. 

EDGE  WOOD  PARK 

is  a  beautiful  tract  of  thirty  acres,  artistically  laid  out  with  three 
miles  of  finely  graded  drive-way,  commanding  the  finest  views 
upon  the  river.  "Edgewood"  is  adjacent  to  and  just  above  Alex- 
andria Bay,  is  reached  by  a  two-minutes  row  and  also  connected 
by  a  very  pleasant  four-minutes  drive  from  the  village.  It  is  a 
private  family  resort,  and  the  club  numbers  among  its  members 
some  of  the  most  prominent  and  best  families  in  the  country,  drawn 
from  different  cities  and  towns,  it  being  understood  that  while 
wealth  is  not  a  pre-requisite  to  membership,  that  social  worth  and 
family  standing  are.  We  quote  from  a  recent  prospectus :  "  The 
object  of  the  club  is  to  provide  for  its  members  and  their  families 
a  desirable  summer  t'scrt  which  shall  combine  all  the  comforts 

— .ixv.i-v,..-  wx  ij  Aiiid,  \\iij.uii  oiiaii  uv  in  Its  uuLiire  a  private 

resort,  and  which  above  all  shall  be  exempt  from  social  pests  and 
public  annoyances ;  one  of  the  cardinal  conditions  of  member- 
ship being  that  the  applicant  shall  be  a  lady  or  gentleman  in  the 


14 


THE   ISLAND   WANDERER. 


!!!;i 


fullest  and  best  sense  of  that  term."  The  main  features  are  the 
groves,  foot-paths  and  drives,  a  commodious  club  house  with  all 
modern  conveniences,  which  is  to  be  supplemented  by  family  cot- 
tages for  rooming.  Large  stables  are  also  provided,  and  driving 
will  be  introduced  as  an  added  feature  to  this  attractive  resort. 

Above  Welcome  and  Friendly  Islands,  and  in  full  view,  are 
the  white  cottages  of 

P  ULLMAN  ISLAND, 

which,  although  by  no  means  pretentious  in  its  architectural  erec- 
tions, yet  from  its  associations  is  probably  an  object  of  quite  as 
general  interest  as  any  in  the  vicinity.  It  is  the  property  of  George 
M.  Pullman,  Esq.,  of  Sleeping  Car  notoriety,  whose  entertainment 
of  General  Grant  with  a  large  party  of  friends  in  the  summer  of 
1872,  has  so  impressed  itself  among  the  notable  events  of  the 
Islands  as  not  soon  to  be  forgotten. 

THE  VISIT  OF  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE    U.  S., 

a  notable  event  at  any  time,  was  especially  so  as  it  occurred  the 
summer  preceeding  the  presidential  election  which  gave  Gen.  Grant 
his  second  term  of  office,  and  was  of  course  a  matter  of  interest 
throughout  the  country.  The  political  caldron  was  boiling  with 
all  the  activity  incident  to  a  near  election,  and  multitudes  of 
patriotic  citizens,  to  say  nothing  of  aspiring  politicians,  all  over 
the  country  suddenly  discovered  how  exceedingly  pleasant,  con- 
venient and  conducive  to  health  it  might  be  to  visit  the  St.  Law- 
rence and  go-a-fishing,  for  what  ?  may  easily  be  conjectured.  But 
this  visit,  whether  or  not  it  had  anything  to  do  with  the  next  presi- 
dency, evidently  had  a  great  deal  to  do  in  directing  public  atten- 
tion to  the  Islands  as  a  delightful  and  accessable  summer  resort, 
and  it  probably  lost  none  of  its  natural  effect  upon  the  public  mind 
from  the  circumstance  that  a  large  party  of  members  of  the  news- 
paper press,  on  an  excursion  from  Watertown,  where  they  were 
in  attendance  on  an  editorial  convention,  had  been  very  handsome- 
ly entertained  at  an  outdoor  collation  on  the  same  Island  early  the 
same  season. 

There  had  for  some  years  been  a  plentiful  lack  of  accommoda- 
tion for  any  very  large  number  who  might  desire  to  spend  some 
time  at  the  Islands.    This  year  the  lack,  greater  than  ever,  was 


'I  HE   ISLAND   WANDERER. 


16 


de  monstrated  in  a  very  practical  way.  As  the  immediate  result, 
plans  for  new  and  larger  hotels,  long  before  talked  of,  found  active 
promoters  with  the  necessary  amount  of  capital.  The  next  season 
these  two  immense  caravanseries  were  ready  for  the  reception  of 
guests,  and  since  that  time  Alexandria  Bay  has  been  famous. 
Changes  and  improvements  have  since  been  continually  going  on 
all  looking  particularly  to  the  accommodation  of  the  increasing 
thousands  who  have  here  annually  sought  health  and  recreation. 

But  by  this  time  the  boat  will  be  starting— we  shall  soon  see  more 
evidences  of  the  improvements  of  which  we  speak.  As  we  pass  up 
the  river  the  first  to  claim  our  attention  is  a  very  neat  cottage,  or 
rather  two  of  them,  on  a  little  cliff,  which  emerge  from  their  hid- 
ing behind  Friendly  Island  on  the  right.    They  are  on 

NOBBY  ISLAND, 

foraierly  the  joint  pro- 
perty of  Henry  R. 
Heath  of  New  York 
city,  and  C.  E.  Goodwin, 
of  Oneida,  N.  Y.,  who 
built  here  about  1873, 
and  who  with  their  many 
friends  have  made  the 
Islands  merry  with  their 
annual  gatherings.  Mr. 
Heath  having  this  year 
(1884)  become  sole  pro- 
prietor, has  enlarged  the 
NOBBv  ISLAND.  buildlugs  aud  added 

other  improvements  which  add  greatly  to  the  natural  beauty  of 

the  Island  already  celebrated. 

GHERRY  ISLAND 

on  the  left,  had  a  small,  rough  cottage  erected  upon  it,  as  early  as 
1860,  which  has  been  variously  and  irregularly  occupied,  mainly  as 
a  convenient  shelter  for  camping  parties.  In  the  year  1881  there 
were  two  other  and  better  cottages  built,  the  first,  a  large  house 
named  "Melrose  Lodge,"  by  parties  from  Chicago,  socially  con- 
nected with  the  Pullman's.  In  fact  the  wife  of  A.  B.  Pullman, 
Esq.,  with   her  friend  Mrs.  G.  B.  Marsh,  are  joint  owners.    The 


I   i 


16 


THE   ISLAND   WANDERER. 


I  li 


W 


4, 


upper  and  smaller  cottage  is  owned  by  Rev.  George  Rockwell,  now 
of  New  York  city,  but  best  known  in  this  region  as  for  more  than 
twenty  years  the  pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church,  the  first  organ- 
ized in  Alexandria  Bay. 

He  calls  his  place  Sunny  Side. 


:Li.>!ir::i5j..il.«ii;iii;!" '■■"'■ 


SUNNYSIDE. 


Nearly  opposite  this  we  pass  quite  near  Pullman  Island.  Just 
above  Cherry  Island  you  mark  the  singular  Rock  known  as  Oven 
Island,  or  as  some  call  it 


ell,  now 

>re  than 

organ- 


THE  ISLAND    WANDERER. 

''DEVIL'S  OVEN,'' 


17 


P^ 


L.      Just 

Eis  Oven 


which  rises  out  of  the  deep  water  much  in  the  general  form  of 

an  old  fashioned  outdoor 
Dutch  oven,  and  to  com- 
plete the  resemblance,  has  a 
large  opening  at  the  water 
level  under  one  side,  which 
is  said  to  have  been  one 
of  the  hiding  places  of  the 
celebrated  Bill  Johnson, 
who  ligured  largely  here- 
about in  the  border  troubles 
of  1837-38,  the  scene  of 
whose  most  famous  exploit 
we  will  pass  by  and  by. 

There  is  a  current  belief 
that  the  wreck  of  a  schoon- 
er of  some  size  with  all  the 
spars  and  sails  set  has  lain 

ci^ .   ^  n       T  1     .  .  submerged  on  the  channel 

side  of  Oven  Island  for  more  than  fifty  years.  It  was  known  that 
about  that  time  since  a  large  steamer  passing  in  the  vicinity  of 
Warner  s  Island  one  dark  night  run  down  a  vessel  which  sank  out 
of  sight  almost  in  a  moment.  Search  was  made  by  parties  inter- 
ested to  a  considerable  extent,  but  they  could  not  even  reach  the 
bottom  at  the  supposed  place  of  the  collision,  nor  did  they  ever 
find  a  trace  of  the  vessel.  The  fact  gave  rise  to  a  tradition  that  the 
nver  here  could  not  be  fathomed.  Probably  the  swift  and  whirl- 
ing currents  carried  out  their  sounding  lines,  and  made  it  difficult 
to  ascertain  how  deep  the  water  really  was. 

It  happened  only  a  few  years  since  that  a  young  man  was 
drownedjust  in  front  of  the  Oven  by  the  upsetting  of  a  sail  boat,  and 
persons  dragging  for  the  body  at  the  bottom  of  the  river  which  is 
here  more  than  a  hundred  feet  deep,  discovered  some  large 
obstmction  the  character  of  which  could  not  certainly  be  ascer- 
tained but  which  many  of  them  fimly  believed  to  be  the 
ancient  wreck. 

Within  half  a  mile  above  the  Oven,  we  pass  on  the  left,  five 

sho^l''°'^7"^  '^'*^'"*"*  '^'^"'^^-    T''^  «^«*.  1"ite  nea;  the 
snore  we  can  only  name  as  ?  ^  ^ 

2 


18 


iiiiiiii 


THE  I8LAND    WANDP:RER. 

CUB  Ay 


m 


owned  by  W.  F.  Storey,  built  about  1876,  but  which  has  since  been 
but  irregularly  occupied,  usually,  we  believe,  by  parties  renting 
it  for  the  season. 

WA  U  WINET 

is  the  second,  said  to  be  so  called  from  the  name  of  an  Indian  vil- 
lage on  Narragansett  Island.  The  cottage  was  built  in  1880,  and 
the  Island,  though  small,  is  nearer  the  channel,  and  has  not  only 
been  handsomely  improved,  but  occupied  every  summer  by  the 
owner,  Mr.  C.  E.  Hill,  of  Chicago,  who  with  a  very  trim  and  lively 
little  steam  yacht  of  the  same  name  constantly  running  to  and  fro, 
plenty  of  banners  by  day,  and  vari-colored  lights  by  night,  makes 
things  look  lively  and  enjoyable  throughout  ^%  visijbi^ig  season. 

WARNER'S  ISLAND, 

the  third,  is  situated  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  channel,  so  that 
we  pass  quite  near,  and  get  a  good  view  of  the  improvements.  It 
is  the  property  of  H.  H.  Warner,  Esq.,  well  known  in  Rochester, 
N.  Y. 

Above  Warner's  a  large  and  conspicuous  residence  has  been 
built  on  what  was  formerly  Pratt's,  but  now  called  Comfort  Island. 
It  is  owned  by  Mr.  A.  E.  Clark  of  Chicago,  and  was  occupied  for 
the  first  time  in  1883.  The  view  from  the  tower  is  said  to  be  ex- 
tensive and  beautiful.  On  Centennial,  formerly  a  part  of  the 
same  Island,  but  now  artificially  separated,  Mr.  H.  Sisson,  for- 
merly a  merchant  of  Alexandi  ia  Bay,  built  a  little  cottage  in  1876. 

Still  above  and  on  a  point  of  the  main  land  at  the  left,  a  large 
and  handsome  cottage  called  Bella  Vista  Lodge,  will  attract  at- 
tention. It  is  the  property  of  Mr.  F.  J.  Bostwick,  of  Newport,  R. 
I.,  and  was  also  first  occupied  in  1883. 

All  along  our  right,  from  Pullman's  Island  up,  we  have  been 
passing  near  the  shore  of  Wells  Island,  which  though  rock  bound, 
and  in  some  places  somewhat  precipitous  to  some  fifty  or  sixty 

leer  m  iieiguu,  lis  uuvcic*^  ^cix^^itii^j  t.  iv*-  .^ ~  ^ 

forest  growth.  The  whole  frontage  is  understood  to  have  been 
sold  not  long  since  by  Mr.  Sisson  to  parties  who  contemplate  im- 
provement, but  whose  work  has  been  carried  no  further  than  a  lit- 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 


19 


ince  been 
s  renting 


idian  vil- 
1880,  and 
not  only 
er  by  the 
md  lively 
)  and  fro, 
it,  makes 
season. 


)1,  so  that 
lents.  It 
Rochester, 

has  been 
)rt  Island, 
upied  for 
.  to  be  ex- 
irt  of  the 
3son,  for- 
^e  in  1876. 

ft,  a  large 
attract  at- 
swport,  R. 

tiave  been 
ck  bound, 
or  sixty 
ible  native 
tiave  been 
iplate  im- 
than  a  lit- 


tie  c  eaning  up  of  underbrush,  and  encouraging  the  proper 
growths  rhe  range  is  terminated  by  a  miniatui^  -Anthony's 
Nose  of  bare  rock  marked  "Louisiana  Point,-  purchased  a  f;w 
years  smce  by  the  Hon.   Judge  Labatte,   of  New  Orleans,   while 

built  m  1881  In  a  little  bay  immediately  abov.  are  a  few  acres 
of  smoother  land,  most  of  which  is  very  prettily  shaded,  which 
has  been  laid  out  and  mapped  in  small  lots  and  designated 

''EMERALD  PARK,'' 

and  which  are  understood  to  be  held  for  sale  by  Mr.  Sisson,  at  low 
rates,  for  the  convenience  of  those  who  do  not  desire,  or  whose 
means  do  not  permit  the  occupation  of  an  entire  Island. 

Immediately  above,  and  apparently  adjoining,  was  originally 
a  low  island  of  a  few  acres,  intersected  with  marsh,  but  havingbeen 
improved  by  digging  out  the  marsh,  -has  been  separated  into  a 
cluster  of  small  Islets  and  called 

SEVEN  ISLES. 

These  are  all  covered  with  a  young  growth  which  bids  fair  to 
become  the  loveliest  of  groves,  shading  all  the  narrow  channels. 
A  small  cottage,  half  liid  among  them,  is  owned,  as  in  fact  is  the 

^ll       AT  ^/  ^^^-  ^-  Winslow,  of    Watertown,    formerly  a 
member  of  the  State  Senate  from  this  district. 

In  Densinore  Bay,  above,  and  some  distance  to  the  right,  Mc- 
mtyre,  the  photograph  man,  who  takes  pictures  of  all  the  Islands 
and  parties  who  desire  them,  has  a  little  home  cottage  and  picture 
factory,  which  he  properly  enough  denominates 

''PHOTOr 

There  are  also  farm  houses  and  farms  now  on  both  sides,  those 
on  the  right  hand  being  on  Wells  Island,  the  left  the  main  shore, 
Dut  It  IS  hardly  necessary  to  do  more  than  to  call  your  attention  to 
the  patience  and  economy  necessary  to  dig  a  living  among  these 
rocKs.^  iividently  these  shores  are  not  calculated  to  compete  in 
corn  aaa  -vviieat  cultivation  with  the  pmiries  of  the  west.  Never- 
tneless  these  farmers  do  contrive  to  live  very  comfortably,  princi- 
pally  off  the  products  of  the  dairy,  as  what  land  there  is,  not  en- 
tirely unfertile,  is  best  adapted  for  grazing. 


20 


THE  ISLAND    WANDERER. 


asM 


A  small  cottage  on  a  point  of  the  main  land  called  Allegheny 
Point,  is  owned  by  Mr.  J.  8.  Laney,  of  Foxburg,  Pa. 

Another  Just  above  on  an  Island  is  the  property  and  summer 
residence  of  J.  M.  Curtis,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  who  has  also  pur- 
chased some  twenty  acres  of  the  iirst  point  above  Alexandria  Bay, 
and  made  some  improvements  there,  looking  to  a  park  of  some 
sort,  but  which  is  not  yet  occupied. 

POINT  VIVIAN. 

About  a  mile  above  Warner's  Island  on  the  main,  is  a  little 
cluster  of  twelve  or  fifteen  cottages  which  will  attract  attention. 
They  have  been  b  'ilt  mostly  by  residents  of  the  interior  of  Jeffer- 
son county,  for  the  convenience  of  spending  a  few  weeks  of  the 
warm  season  on  the  river.  They  purchased  this  wooded  point,  and 
have  built  each  to  please  himself,  and  so  form  a  little  neighbor- 
hood where  each  has  an  independent  home,  but  yet  in  the  society 
of  his  friends. 

Nearly  opposite,  "Isle  Royal"  is  the  summer  residence  of  Mr^ 
Royal  Dean,  of  New  York. 

For  the  next  two  or  tlfree  miles,  although  the  channel  is  con- 
tracted, in  some  places  to  less  than  half  a  mile  in  breadth,  and  in 
fact  has  the  local  name  of  "The  Narrows,"  yet  its  deep  and  rapid 
flow  indicates  most  forcibly  the  immensity  of  this  magnificent 
river,  especially  as  we  remember  tliat  this  is  in  fact  only  about 
half  or  less  than  half  the  mighty  tide  which  it  is  constantly  send- 
ing to  the  sea.  AU  along  the  Narrows  there  are  irregular  branch- 
ing bays  on  both  sides,  some  of  which  are  hidden  behind  peninsular 
points  which  would  only  need  short  channels  through  their 
isthmus  connection  with  the  main  to  change  them  to  Islands.  The 
most  beautiful  of  these,  about  a  mile  above  Point  Vivian,  was  long 
known  as  "Page  Point,"  and  later  as  "Grinnell  Park,"  from  the 
names  of  former  owners.     It  is  now  called 

CENTRAL  PARK. 

This  embraces  some  fifty  acrfs,  still  largely  covered  with  the  orig- 
inal forest.  This  was  several  years  since  opened  and  cleared  of  its 
nnderflrrowth  and  beiner  DerhaDS  the  finest  errove  in  this  Dart  of 
the  river,  bee?  m  v  n-  favorite  resort  both  for  picnic  dinners  of  fish- 
ermen and  for  pi-  >i£«ie  parties  from  the  surrounding  country.  It 
is  now  owned  and  controlled  by  the  "Central  Park  Association," 


THE   ISLAND   WANDERER. 


21 


under  whose  direction  it  is  being  still  further  improved  and  opened 
to  the  public.  A  hotel  and  a  number  of  pleasant  cottages  are  now 
erected  and  others  are  in  process  of  construction.  Situated  as  it 
IS  on  so  narrow  a  part  of  the  main  American  channel,  and  sur- 
rounded with  sheltered  bays  and  high  rocky  points,  it  bids  fair  to 
become  one  of  the  pleasant  resorts  of  the  river. 

A  very  pleasant  cottage  on  a  small  Island  near  this  Park  is 
called  Bay  View,  and  is  said  to  be  owned  by  r)artle8  residintr  at 
Westmoreland,  N.  Y.  *^ 

Less  than  a  mile  above  this  a  very  cozy  summer  house  on  a 
half -acre  Island  on  the  left,  called 

CALUMET, 

is  the  property  of  Rev.  Renry  R.  Waite,  formerly  U.  S.  consul  in 
Rome,  now  engaged  as  superintendent  of  educational  statistics  in 
the  Census  Bureau  at  Washington,  and  who  generally  makes  an 
annual  visit  of  a  few  weeks  with  family  and  friends. 

On  the  main  shore  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  one  or  two 
small  cottages  have  been  recently  built,  whose  ownership  we  have 
been  unable  to  ascertain. 

COLLINS    LANDING, 

only  a  few  hundred  yards  above,  was  formerly  one  of  the  wooding 
stations  for  the  old  American  line  of  steamers  on  Lake  Ontario 
and  also  the  site  of  a  steam  saw  mill,  whose  only   relic,   a   rusty 
cylinder  boiler,  lies  on  the    shore  ornamented  with  one  of  Mr 
Warner's  "Safe"  signs. 

Shortly  above  Collins  Landing  the  narrow  channel  begins  to 
widen,  and  a  number  of  farm  houses,  with  a  factory  for  Limburger 

wtT  ^J"  *?^  ^^"'  ^'^^^^^  ^^^^-  somewhat  vary  the  landscape. 
While  the  shore  of  Wells  continues  rocky,  the  farms  on  the  main 
are  now  more  extended  and  the  land  generally  susceptible  of  culti- 
vation. About  half  a  mile  above  the  cheese  factory  on 
Wells  Island,  is  the  Peel  Dock,  so  called  from  the 
destruction  of  the  steamer  Sir  Robert  Peel,  a  well- 
emembered  incident  of  the  border  troubles  of  1837-38.  to  whiVh 
allusion  nas  already  been  made.  Not  to  enter  at  length  into  the 
history  of  these  troubles,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  say  that  an  abor- 
tive attempt  to  revolutionize  the  Canadas,  generally  known  as  the 


22 


THE  ISLAND   WANDEKER. 


/ 


Patriot  war,  found  many  sympathizers  and  awakened  great  inter- 
est all  along  the  border.  The  burning  of  the  American  steamer 
Caroline  near  Niagara  by  a  band  of  men  from  Canada,  while  it 
aroused  a  general  indignation  throughout  the  States,  especially 
intensified  the  excitement  here,  and  produced  a  feeling  difficult  to 


i$Ni 


ill 


PEEL  DOCK. 

repress.  Men  were  enlisted,  and  organizations  effected,  under  the 
name  of  "Hunter  Lodges,"  who  threatened  and  in  fact  attemped 
an  invasion  of  Canada  in  the  interest  of  those  who  desired  revolu- 
tion. The  particulars  of  the  burning  of  the  Peel  are  thus  related 
by  Mr.  Hough  in  his  history  of  Jefferson  County: 

On  the  night  between  the  29th  and  30th  of  May,  1838,  the  British  steamer  Sir  Robert  Peel  was 
plundered  and  burned  at  Wells  Island,  UP 'Icrcne  following  circumstances  ♦  ♦  ♦  *  She  was  on  her 
way  from  Prescott  to  Toronto,  with  nir.dte«n  passengers,  and  hatl  left  Brockville  in  the  evening  which 
was  dark  and  rainy,  and  arrived  at  McD  'nakrs  wharf,  on  the  south  side  of  Wells  Island,  in  the  town  of 
Clayton,  at  midnight,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  on  wood. 

Threats  of  violence  had  been  intimated,  and  before  the  steamer  had  left  Brockville,  it  was  hinted  to 
one  on  board  that  there  was  danger  of  an  ati'-ack,  but  this  threat  was  not  regarded.  The  pa-ssengers 
were  asleep  m  the  cabin  and  the  crew  had  been  engaged  about  two  hours  in  taking  on  wood  when  a 
company  of  twenty-two  men,  disguised  and  painted  like  savages,  and  armed  with  muskets  and  bayo- 
nets, rush,  d  on  board  yelling  and  shouting,  "remember  the  Caroline!"  drove  the  passengers  and  crew  to 
the  shore,  allowing  but  a  hasty  opportunity  for  removing  a  small  part  of  the  baggage,  and  towards 
morning,  havmg  cast  the  boat  into  the  stream,  to  about  thirty  rods  distance,  set  it  on  fire.  The  scer^e  of 
— 1 — ._„. .!  „.,.?■!..  ...,!.  n  j,„r,  ir.mrngni  nMKVR.  ut;t;aatuuca  among  me  puissengcrs  can  De  Detteir  im- 
agined than  described. 

Some  of  them  fled  to  the  shore  in  their  night  clothes,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  the  baggage  was 
lost.  After  the  boat  was  fired  in  several  places,  a  party  including  Thomas  Scott,  a  passen  '  r  (a  surgeon 
who  had  staid  to  Arem  a  wound. )  got  into  two  long  boats  and  sUrted  for  Abel's  Island,  four  miles  from 
Wells  Island,  where  they  arrived  about  sunrise.    He  stated  that  there  were  about  twenty-two  persons 


THE  ISLAND  WANDERER. 


23 


besides  himself  and  the  wounded  man,  in  the  two  boats     The  brie<indH  wprp  irnnwn  t^  ««„».  ^*v«„  u- 

flctitjous  names,  as  Tecumseh.  Sir  William  Wallace^  Judge  Lyfde  C^t  CroS%«^n  °^%}ll 

Crocker  nolivar  and  Admiral  Beubo.    Several  thousand  dTai^Tn  one  pTkaSanTal^gmS^^^^ 

were  take  i  from  the  boat  and  various  articles  of  clothing.    The  only  hou*^  in  the  v  cinTv  S  the  wS 

was  the  woodman  s  shanty,  where  the  passengers  found  refusf-  imtr  flv«  r^^lr.nt  (.Tvk    ™       <       ^M?" 

the  Oneida,  Captain  Smitfi.'came  down^on  hef  reS  trip,  an^^ 

unfortunate  persons  returned  with  th.m  to  Kingston.    It  is  "aid  to  have  been  (^^^ 

who  took  the  Peel,  to  have  captured  with  her  ai(fthe  steamer  Great  Briton  the  next  dav   and  to  Imvt 

cruised  with  these  steamers  on  the  lake,  and  transport  troops  and  suppto  forthe^riot'str^^ 

The  leader  of  this  outrage  was  William,  or  as  he  was  commonly 
called,  "BillJohnson,"  well  known  on  the  border  for  his  bitter 
hatred  of  the  English  and  Canadian  governments,  and  ready  for 
any  measure  that  might  aid  the  so-called  "patriot"  cause.     So  far 
from  denying,  it  appears  that  he  rather  gloried  in  the  exploit.     Of 
course  it  at  once  not  only  awakened  the  indignation  of  Canada, 
but  aroused  our  own  government  to  the  necessity  of  guarding  the 
frontier  and  preventing  a  breach  with  the  Canadian  authorities. 
Gov.  Marcey,  then  in  the  executive  chair  of  New  York,  himself 
visited  Jeiferson  county  and  took  measures  to  repress  any  further 
hostile  demonstration.     A  large  reward  was  offered  by  our  own, 
and  a  larger  by  the  Canadian  executive,  for  the  arrest  of  the  out- 
laws,  and  the  officials  of  both  countries  united  in  the  effort  for 
their  capture,  especially  Johnson.     It  has,  however,  been  hinted 
that  the  American  detail  professedly  engaged  in  this  service,  did 
not  lose  a  great  deal  of  necessary  sleep  by  their  watchfulness. 
Johnson  was  aided,   in  his  hidings  among  the  Islands,   by  his 
daughter,  it  is  said  in  a  boy's  disguise.     As  she  was  then  a  very 
attractive  young  woman,  a  spice  of  romance  for  a  long  time  at- 
tached to  her  adventures,  and  her  fame  as  "Queen  of  the  Isles" 
extended  through  the  whole  region.     The  writer  met  her  many 
years  since  at  Clayton,  where  she  was  married  and  the  mother  of 
a  family,  who,  so  far  as  discovered,  bore  no  especial  marks  of  roy- 
al birth.     She  is,  we  believe,  now  dead,  but  some  of  Johnson's 
sons  are  now  living  in  Clayton. 

Late  in  the  fall  he  was  arrested  by  the  American  authorities, 
but  escaped,  and  was  re-arrested  two  or  three  times,  until  finally 
the  border  having  become  quiet,  he  returned  to  Clayton  and  was 
no  more  molested.  Indeed  so  far  from  the  American  government 
having  any  continued  desire  for  his  punishment,  he  seemed  to 
meet  with  favor,  and  as  probably  a  good  democrat,  was  appointed 
by  the^  administration  of  President  Pierce,  keeper  of  the  light  at 
Eock  Island,  which  shines  on  the  very  spot  where  the  Feel  was 
burned.  The  explanation  is  believed  to  be  that  he  had  before 
rendered  effectual,  tliough  perhaps  not  very  reputable  service,  to 
the  U.  S.  in  the  war  of  1812,  when,  employed  as  a  spy,  he  had  sue- 


24 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 


I  i> 


iilil!';! 


:iii 


ceeded  in  plundering  the  British  mails  of  important  dispatches 
which  he  brought  to  the  American  officers  at  Sackets  Harbor.  This 
explanation  has  at  least  the  color  of  plausibility,  as  it  is  said  he 
was  appointed  by  the  recommendation  of  Gen.  Scott,  who  as  an 
officer  of  the  American  army,  was  during  the  war  engaged  in  the 
military  operations  then  in  progress  upon  the  frontier,  and  proba- 
bly knew  all  about  Johnson's  services. 

But  to  return  to  the  description  of  our  trip.  Not  far  above  the 
Peel  dock  we  come  to  some  recent  improvements  upon  a  cluster  of 
small  islands,  and  upon  the  shore  of  Wells,  that  have  incidentally 
grown  out  of  the  location  of  the  Thousand  Island  Park,  which  we 
are  now  rapidly  approaching.  We  cannot  particularize  them  all. 
On  the  small  islands  at  the  left  are  several  summer  residences  of 
various  sizes  and  pretensions.  The  nearest,  "Frederick  Island," 
is  owned  by  a  gentleman  of  that  name,  a  merchant  of  Carthage, 
N.  Y.  The  second,  "Occident  and  Orient,"  by  a  New  York  gen- 
tleman named  Washburn.  The  third  is  an  expensive  house 
built  by  E.  N.  Kobinson,  a  broker,  who  was  somewhat  noted  for 
large  operations  in  Wall  street,  where  it  is  said  he  both  made 
and  lost  sums  of  money  reaching  into  the  millions,  very  rapidly. 
There  are  some  two  or  three  more  distant  cottages  on  Islands  whose 
names  and  owners  are  in  the  list  and  map  we  use.  Over  back  of 
these  Islands  is  a  little  hamlet  known  as 

FISHER'S  LANDING, 

where  a  comfortable  house,  called  the  "  Central  Hotel,"  enter- 
tains in  a  quiet  way  a  good  many  summer  guests.  On  the  Wells 
Island  side  we  pass  some  clusters  of  cottages  and  one  hotel,  the 
"  Wellesley  House,"  before  reaching  the  Park  proper,  for  the 
names  of  whose  owners  we  again  refer  to  the  lists  on  the  map,  at 
"Jolly  Oaks"  and  "Waving  Branches."  As  we  turn  to  the  right 
to  make  our  landing  at  the  Thousand  Island  Park,  we  pass  the 
Rock  Island  Light  House,  which  guards  the  navigator  against  sev- 
eral surrounding  dangerous  rocks,  and  indicates  the  proper  entry 
from  the  open  water  above  into  the  narrower  channels  we  have 
been  ascending.  Some  two  or  three  miles  distant  across  the  inter- 
vening stretch  of  open  water  above,  and  nearly  in  the  center  of  a 
large  level  island,  a  large  building  somewhat  resembling  the 
Thousand  Island  House  at  Alexandria  Bay,  looms  conspicuously 
into  view.     It  is  the  Round  Island  Hotel. 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 

MOUND  ISLAND, 


25 


some  150  acres  in  extent,  is  laid  out  as  a  park  around  it.     It  was 
purchased  about  six  years  since  and  is  conducted  nominaUy  in 
the  interest  of  the  Baptist  denomination.     It  is  about  two  miles 
this  side  of  the  village  of  Clayton,  which  it  hides  from  our  view 
and  being  easy  of  access  from  the  railroad  at  that  point,  is  quite  a 
favorite  resort  for  the  denomination  named  and  many  others     The 
morning  trips  of  the  Wanderer  now  frequently  extend  to  Round 
Island     The  approach  shows  its  shores  to  be  rocky,  apparently 
of  sandstone  formation,  and  some  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  in  height 
from  the  water     They  are  generally  bordered  by  small  trees  which 
have  survived  from  the  original  forest.    The  central  part  of  the 
Island  is  level  or  but  slightly  undulating,  and  had  been  for  many 
years  under  cultivation  as  a  farm,  but  is  now  laid  out  as  a  great 
lawn,  around  which  is  an  extended  drive,  the  Hotel  being  near  the 
center.     The  outer  and  wooded  border  is  laid  out  in  lots  for  cot 
tages,  of  which  there  are  over  fifty,  and  more  in  course  of  erec- 
tion.    Some  of  those  fronting  the  river  channel  are  in  excellent 
taste  as  gems  of  cottage  architecture. 

THO  USAND  ISLAND  PARK. 

Here  the  boat  makes  a  stop  for  several  minutes,  and  we  have  time 
to  land  and  walk  a  little  about  the  Park  if  desired.  But  to  get  a 
satisfactory  view  of  the  Park  it  would  have  been  better  to  have 
come  up  on  the  morning  trip  and  wait  over,  as  many  do,  resumino- 
the  excursion  in  the  afternoon.  ,  * 

We  need  say  but  few  words  of  this  Park,  which  has  become 
one  of  the  summer  institutions  of  the  country,  and  has  already 
been  visited  by  thousands,  both  from  Canada  and  the  U  S  It  had 
Its  beginmg  in  the  winter  of  1874-75,  although  by  the  invitation  of 
Its  projector,  Rev.  J.  F.  Dayan,  parties  of  ministers  and  others 
chiefly  members  from  the  Methodist  Espiscopal  Church,  had  the 
autumn  before  visited  various  localities  of  the  Islands  within  a 
radius  of  several  miles  for  the  purpose  of  selecting  a  site  The 
upper  end  of  Wells  Island,  on  the  American  side,  was  finally 
cliosen,  and  arrangements  informally  commenced  for  its  purchase 
During  the  winter  the  projectors  effected  an  oiganization,  at  first 
under  the  name  of  the  "  Thousand  Island  Camp  Meeting  Associa- 
tion, of  which  Dr.  E.  0.  Haven,  then  Chancelor  of  Syracuse 
University,   and  afterward  one  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Methodist 


i  ;:i 


26 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 


'^^ 


'% 


Episcopal  Church  (but  since  deceased,)  was  president,  and  Rev. 
J.  F.  Dayan,  secretary  and  general  manager.  With  considerable 
negotiation  and  some  hesitation  in  regard  to  the  quantity  of  land 
needed  for  the  success  of  the  enterprise,  they  finally  purchased 
all  the  land  in  the  neighborhood  then  open  to  sale  (about  950 
acres),  and  employed  an  engineer  to  lay  it  out  suitably  for  the  pur- 
poses they  intended  it  to  serve.  Reserving  a  strip  all  around  the 
shore,  and  other  grounds  lor  the  public  uses,  a  considerable  space 
was  marked  off  in  avenues  and  lots,  which  were  offered  for  sale 
the  following  spring.  By  this  time  a  dock  for  steamers,  and 
various  buildings  for  boarding  hall,  offices,  stores  and  some  lodging 
rooms  to  be  owned  and  controlled  by  the  association,  were  in  good 
progress.  By  active  effort,  and  extensive  adveitising,  the  project 
sprang  into  success  at  once.  Lots  were  immediately  and  largely 
taken.  Provision  was  made  by  the  trustees  for  a  series  of  meetings 
at  which  the  ablest  speakers  on  religious  and  philanthropic  sub- 
jects were  to  be  heard.  Soon  not  only  the  lots  on  the  Park  itself, 
but  all  the  desirable  shore  property  near,  with  the  small  islands  in 
the  near  vicinity,  advanced  largely  in  price  and  found  eager  buy- 
ers. Thousands  became  visitors,  hundreds  purchasers,  and  very 
many  builders,  so  that  there  soon  arose  a  considerable  summer 
village,  perhaps  averaging  a  thousand  or  fifteen  hundred  inhabi- 
tants for  two  months  in  the  year,  and  often  increased  to  more  than 
double  that  number  on  the  days  of  special  interest  in  the  meetings 
held.  There  are  now  probably  more  than  three  hundred  buildings 
on  the  grounds,  most  of  which  are  private  cottages.  Some  fric- 
tion of  course,  has  occurred  in  the  management,  and  some  grumb- 
ling at  the  strictness  of  regulations  made,  or  believed  to  be  neces- 
sary for  the  preservation  of  good  order  upon  the  grounds,  but  on 
the  whole  the  institution  has  had  large  success.  It  is,  however, 
understood  that  there  has  been  a  change  in  the  management,  and 
that  still  greater  effort  is  to  be  made  for  continuance  of  growth. 
A  comfortable  and  commodious  hotel,  whose  want  was  long  felt 
and  often  expressed  by  those  who  were  dissatisfied  with  the  rather 
primitive  accommodations  at  first  provided,  and  who  were  willing 
to  pay  for  better,  was  erected  in  1883,  and  other  improvements 
looking  to  permanency  and  comfort  are  in  progress.  The  whole  Park 
was  practically  but  a  sort  of  mammoth  out-door  hotel,  where  most 
of  the  guests  took  meals  at  the  boarding  hall,  but  very  generally 
looked  for  their  own  lodgings  in  cottages  and  tents.  Still,  rooms 
were  to  a  limited  extent  provided  in  the  upper  lofts  of  some  of  the 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER.  -  37 

buildings,  and  at  the  same  time,  many  families  lived  and  ha^  nil 
^r.n„ts  f.  providing  the  tabL  in  their  o:n  ToL^f  an] 

ceivinrpr^^^^^^^^^  *^  ^'^^  ^--^^^  and  after  re- 

f  hi  w  ^"^^^^^^  ^  large  addition  to  the  number  of  her  passengers 
the  Wanderer  moves  on  her  wnA7  a  «,,  *  ^v,  •  ^  p«t»»engers, 
lation  to  thP  Pnrt  To   -^^    .    /•    ^"^y  further  information  in  re- 

T  I   ^'■°'"  *«  P**  Dock  we  move  aronnd  the  upper  end  of  th^ 
Island,  and  you  will  not  fail  to  notice  the  beautiful  situation   „.! 

destroyed  by  «re  in  the  winter  o^  ^SSsZ,t^l:l  nXen'lr 
Mo^fl       ■  '■.°'^^,'"^'^  *""!  "bove  we  see  Grenell's.     It  is  on  a  small 

Ibo"e'whW,V^'"'  '"*"°"  ''^'''^'^  '~"  *e  larg'r^ne 
rrZn     I    i  '''""''™''''  ''"'1  *°  ««"«  <"^tent  farmed  by  Mr 
Grenell,  who  has  resided  here  for  many  years,  giving  entotain" 
ment  to  a  few  guests  perhaps  in  the  rather  primitive  style  S  a 

iarger  island  may  be  found  on  the  list  in  connection  with  our  map 
chnnlTh  ?™  *\^''''' '^'"S' ••'™""d  to  the  left  to  pass  up  the 


and  now 


Qu  UCJ+.,    i  ,,  1    .     ,  ""  ^"^^  iiictu  Hirer  rne 

as    Stnart,"  but  which  has  been  known  L  "Jeifers"    ai 
commonly  as  GreneU's  Island,  from  the  name  of  the  owne. 

This  constant  change  of  names  of  Islands  is  to  be  regretted  a<c 
leading  to  great  confusion.      But  it  goes  rat>idlv  1    .        •  ,f 
with  the  smaller  Islands,  which,  JuTCy^C^  oJo^'SS' 

isZh -oil*'! '_"''*''"'"«'■  *'•' ^"■''-  **™y  «f *•»" >*'*«'>• 

the"inXhtn^"  I"""*"  ™  *''"  '""'''*^  P"blished  by  authority  of 
tne  Unghsh  and  American  governments,  entirely  diilerent  from 
those  m  common  use.  This  hm  an  illustration  in  the  IsSs  W 
about  us.     That  on  the  left  is  named    on    the    E„S    ch^t 


28 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 


I  'li 


iiflf 


>«' 


Stuart,"  which  was  copied  on  the  map  in  common  use  and  also 
on  the  American  charts.  The  early  deeds  named  it  "Jeffers"  by 
which  it  seems  to  have  been  once  generally  known.  So  of  the 
Island  on  our  right.  It  is  on  the  charts,  both  English  and  Ameri- 
oanas ''Murray,"  but  hereabouts  is  universally  called  "Hemlock 
Island. "  It  is  doubtful  now  if  any  one  living  in  the  vicinity  should 
hear  of  either  "Stuart"  or  "Murray"  Island  he  would  know  what 
was  meant. 

Quite  a  lively  controversy  arose  a  few  years  since  as  to  the 
proper  name  of  "Wells    Island."      It  is  marked  on  the  charts 
Wellesley"  and  on  the  map  by  both  names.    When  the  Metho- 
dist people  inaugurated  the  Park,    "Wellesley"   had  never  been 
heard  of  in  the  vicinity.     The  publisher  of  the  map,   which  was 
first  issued  the  same  season  which  opened  the  Park,   and  which 
was  based  on  a  copy  of  the  old  English  charts,  in  this,  as  in  several 
instances,  inserted  both  names.     With  the  names  only  as  given  in 
the  chart,  the  map  would  have  been  of  very  little  value,  for  no  one 
here  knew  anything  about  them.     But  when  the  Park  began  to 
be  talked  of,    some    astute    Methodist   brother  discovered  that 
Wesley  was  a  contraction  of  Wellesley,  anrl  of  course  for  a  Metho- 
dist Park  that  would  be  the  right  name  for  the  Island,  and  great 
efforts  were  made  to  bring  the  longer  name  into  use,  much  to  the 
disgust  of  the  older  inhabitants.     They  had  received  title  to  their 
lands  as  being  and  situate  on  "Wells  Island,"  and  had  no  notion 
of  giving  up  the  title  either  to  farm  or  Island  especially  for  a  jaw- 
breaking  name  like  that  proposed.     A  good    deal    of  discussion 
arose  in  the  newspapers  and  otherwise  as  to  the  proper  designa- 
tion, but  in  the  vicinity  and  among  the  residents  at  least,  the  new 
name  is  no  go.    But,  say  the  Park  people,  "it  is  the  old  name,  the 
charts  all  have  it,  and  no  chart  has  the  name  Wells  Island."     The 
facts  seem  to  be  these : 

So  long  ago  as  the  close  of  the  last  century,  before  the  Islands 
were  finally  divided  between  Canada  and  the  state  of  New  York, 
one  William  Wells,  a  resident  of  Brockville,  though  it  appears  a 
native  of  New  Hampshire,  was  engaged  in  lumbering  upon  this 
Island,  which  he  continued  for  many  years,  and  as  is  generally  the 
case  in  new  countries,  it  took  the  name  of  its  first  occupant,  and 
came  to  be  known,  as  it  always  since  has  been  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, as  "Wells  Island,"  imd  all  tlie  deeds  of  land  upon  it  are 
located  by  this  name.  The  original  patent  of  the  Islands  to  Elisha 
Camp  in  1823,  did  not  mention  any  of  the  Islands  by  name,  but 


W^i 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER.         •  -89 

Simply  conveyed  all  the  Islands  belonging  to  the  state  of  New 
York,  lymg  between  certain  designated  points  on  the  River  Upon 
a  very  old  map  in  the  possession  of  Messrs.  Cornwall  &  Walton 
of  Alexandria  Bay,  which  they  received  with  an  early  purchase  of 
ands  npon  Wells  Island,  and  all  the  other  small  Island^  W  be 
tweencertam  defined  points,  and  which  is  said  to  have  been  made 
for  the  commissioners  of  the  U.S.  who  mn  and  established  the 
boundary  line,  this  is  designated  "Wells  Island."  The  date  of 
the  map  i«  lost  or  omitted,  but  it  is  believed  to  be  about  1820.* 

The  history  and  authority  of  the  name  "Wellesley"  isbelieved 

W  P.  W.  Owen,  B.  N.,  surveyed  the  River,  presumably  by  the 
authonty  of  the  British  government,  and  a  chart  was  male  by  hTm 
on  which  were  inserted  names  upon  many  points  which,  with  a 
few  exceptions,  had  not  been  before  known  or  heard  of.     This  is 
evident  from  the  fa«t  that  man,?  of  them  were  memorials  of  the 
European  wars,  m  which  the  English  had  recently  been  en^ged 
Some  were  adopted  from  places  where  important  events  hadS 
pired,  others  from  officers  who  had  become  distinguished     Now 
Captain  Owen  had  of  course  some  show  of  right  in  giving  Tuch 
names  as  he  pleaded,  so  far  as  the  English  side  of  th!  boundary 
was  concerned,  but  it  may  be  questioned  how  far  it  was  suSe 
or  m  the  best  taste  to  apply  them  upon  American  territory,  ^th! 
Z/T^-^  ^^  commonly  used  designation  of  the  inhabitants, 
w  17    ,     ^  -^  ?''y  extensively,  of  which  this  is  an  example 
Wellesley  being  the  famUy  name  of  the  Duke  of  WellingtoT  the 
hero  of  Waterloo,  which  by  the  way  is  commemomted  if  the  im! 
mediate  vicinity,  the  beautiful  and  significant  name  of  the  "Lake 
of  the  Island,'   a«  applied  to  the  land-bound  and  secluded  sh^t 
which  lies,  as  it  were,  in  the  bosom  of  this  very  Island   and^s 

T^llZwY  r^rt^  '^  "«  *<''^^'  *«  -  the  cSrt Ranged 

th^Tl\        K    ^'°*'™''°  I'^ke  survey,  of  which  the  charts  of 
this  part  have  been  recently  published,  have  in  so  many  instances 
followed  this  unauthorized  Englished  nomenclature  to  the  exclut 
ion  of  names  locally  much  better  known.     '  'Wells' '  is  and  was  for 
yea^  known  and  used  in  the  whole  region,  whUe  "Wellesley^ 


80 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 


rr  /T  ^^^"^  ""^  '''  *^^  ""'''"^^y  **"  ^*^^^^*  *h«  ti"»e  the  Thousand 
Island  Park  was  inaugurated,  when  it  was  brought  into  notice  by 
a  copy  of  one  of  the  sheets  of  the  English  charts,  which  was  bor- 
rowed and  used  by  the  gentlemen  interested  while  engaged  in  can- 
ya^smg  for  the  beginnings  of  their  enterprise,  and  is  the  same  that 
afterward  became  the  foundation  for  the  very  little  map  which  has 
been  «o  much  used  by  visitors.  But  we  are  for  a  while  about  to 
lose  sight  of  Wells  Island,  and  it  is  a  fit  time  to  dismiss  this  weari- 
some discussion  about  the  name  into  which  we  have  been  led  bv 
a  desire  to  get  the  facts  fully  before  the  public,  which  we  believe 
has  not  before  been  done. 

As  we  pa^s  up  the  channel  between  Grenell's,  or  Jeffers  or 
Stuart  Island,  whichever  you  choose  to  call  it,  and  Hemlock  or 
Murray  (you  see  names  are  as  plenty  as  the  Islands,)  away  to  the 
right  IS  the  '/        ^ 

CLIFF  JfO  USB, 

another  small  Summer  Hotel,  built  on  a  high  bluff  at  the  foot  of 
the  Island  last  mentioned.  It  was  kept  by  Mr.  E.  Garrettson 
formerly  of  the  Globe  Hotel  in  Syracuse,  and  generally  patronized 
in  summer  by  guests  from  the  Centml  City.  It  has  not  been  open 
lor  two  years  past.  Our  route  lies  up  near  enough  to  the  Island 
to  catch  a  good  view  of  some  cottages  along  its  shore,  for  the 
names  of  whose  owners  we  must  again  refer  you  to  the  list  before 
mentioned.  Through  much  of  this  passage  the  village  of  Clayton 
is  m  full  view,  being  about  three  miles  distant,  but  we  soon  lose 
sight  of  It  as  we  turn  short  to  the  right,  enter  a  narrow  gap  between 
Hemlock  and  Bobbins  Island,  and  emerge  into  Eel  Bay,  an 
expanse  of  water  some  three  miles  in  diameter,  with  only  a' few 
low  Islands,  which  do  not  interrupt  the  view  quite  to  the  wooded 
shores  of  another  part  of  Wells  Island  again.  Our  way  lies  pretty 
close  along  the  eastern  shore  of  ^       j 

GRINDSTONE, 

one  of  the  largest  of  the  Thousand  Islands,  being  about  four  or 
five  miles  long  by  two  and  a  half  wide,  having  on  it  some  200  in- 
habitants, who  reside  on  farms  in  a  fair  state  of  cultivation,  and 
are  enabled  to  furnish  a  considerable  amount  of  supplies  for  the 
consumption  of  visitors.  Passing  around  its  northerly  point, 
which  is  an  immense  naked  hill,  bordered  by  a  forest  growth  of 
several  acres  on  the  side  toward  Canada,  we  speedily  enter 


i- 


THE   ISLAND    \VANDP]RER. 

CANADIAN   WATERS, 


81 


which  open  to  our  view  a  great  stretch  studded  with  Islands  and 
divided  into  channels  in  a  manner  to  bewilder  any  attempt  to 
enumerate  or  arrange  them.  Hardly  any  of  them  seem  to  be  more 
than  a  few  acres  in  extent.  Though  generally  rocky,  they  are 
nearly  all  more  or  less  wooded,  even  rocks  with  scarce  standing 
room  for  a  man  often  supporting  a  tree  or  bush  to  which  he  might 
clmg  m  case  of  shipwreck.  Some,  however,  bear  evidence  of  the 
destructive  ravages  of  fire,  which  has  often  sadly  marred  their 
original  beauty.     It  evidently  now 

REQUIRES  SKILL  TO  GUIDE  THE  COURSE  OF  OUR  CRAFT. 

Many  channels  open  in  every  direction,  but  only  the  skillful  pilot 
knows  m  which  of  them  it  is  safe  to  venture.  Hidden  rocks 
abound.  Some  indeed  reveal  their  position  near  the  surface 
when  on  a  very  light  day,  their  light  brown  clouds  the  deep  green 
of  the  deeper  water,  but  others  lie  further  down,  and  all  the  more 
dangerous  because,  although  unseen,  they  are  still  within  reach 
of  our  keel  But  our  pilot  never  hesitates.  He  only  keeps  a  keen 
eye  on  the  land-marks,  knowing  that  in  the  right  channels  there 
IS  generally  more  than  a  hundred  feet  of  water  between  us  and  the 
l>ottom.  Passing  through  some  five  or  six  miles  of  such  naviga- 
tion, sometimes  almost  shut  up  in  the  narrow  passages,  and  again 
crossing  wide  stretches  that  are  on  every  side  broken  and  bounded 
by  Islands  turning  now  to  the  right,  and  anon  to  the  leftasquick- 

l^Vh'^^Tf  r*r?!i^^'"?''^  *^'  '^^''^''^  ^1^^«"^1«  sometimes 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  rocky  shore,  until  finally  after  a  seemin- 
exceedingly  narrow  escape  from  wreck  upon  a  jutting  point,  we 
cross  a  not  very  wide  passage  opening  eastward  to  an  extensive  bay 
and  make  our  landing  at  the  Canadian  town  of  Gananoque,  of  whos; 
te  IslanTs.  ''""'  timecaught  occasional  glimpsed  between 

GANANOQUE 
is  the  nearest  Canadian  town  of  any  size  to  clie  great  body  of  the 

thTl   .  ^^''^^'''  ^^^  *"^  ""'  ^^'^1^^  *^-«n^  Alexandria  Bay, 

though  It  requires  a  ferriage  of  nearly  double  that  distance  from 

either,  on  apr-niint  o^*  fh- v'—r?i- t  j^^^j"! 

_    _.     !.ui  Ox  inc  ^^  iiidiug  passage  made  necessary  bv  inter- 

vemng  Islands.  It  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  a  river  bLLg  the 
same  name,  which  was  the  original  natural  discharge  for  a  consider- 
able number  of  small  lakes  lying  some  miles  to  the  northward     The 


I' 


I     i 


32 


THE  ISLAND   WANDERER. 


I 


11 


i 


Rideau  Canal,  which  joins  the  St.  Lawrence  at  Kingston  with  the 
Ottawa,  diverts  the  water  from  some  of  them  for  the  use  of   its 
higher  levels,  so  that  the  stream  is  probably  not  so  large  as  it  would 
be  If  It  received  all  that  naturally  belonged  to  it.     It  is,  however, 
still  sufficient  for  moving  a  considerable  amount  of  machinery 
which  IS  employed  for  flouring  and  saw  mills  and  also  for  various 
purposes  of  manufacture,  chiefly  of  nails,  agricultural  implements, 
funiiture  and  various  hardware  supplies.     The  dam  which  gives  the 
fall  IS  situated  in  the  village,  above  which  the  stream  is  navigable 

for  skiffs  with  only  one  other  portage,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  to 
some  of  the  lakes  which  are  its  sources  of  supply.  As  these  abound 
with  fish  and  game  they  are  often  visited  by  sportsmen  from  the 
American  side,  who  report  the  lakes  to  be  of  great  beauty,  and  the 
sport,  both  in  hunting  and  fishing  excellent. 

Gananoque  has  a  population  of  about  three  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, with  five  churches  of  different  denominations.  There  are 
several  hotels  where  sportsmen  on  the  river  occasionally  stop,  as 
the  fishing  in  front  is  said  to  be  the  best  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  but 
there  has  been  no  sustained  effort  to  direct  attention  to  it,  as  a 
place  of  summer  resort,  and  the  sportsmen  who  frequent  its  waters 
are  mostly  in  parties  from  Clayton,  Alexandria  Bay  and  other 
places  on  the  American  side.  The  Grand  Trunk  Railroad  passes 
and  has  a  station  about  two  and  one-half  miles  North  of  the  town 
but  the  principal  business  access  has  hitherto  been  by  the  Steam- 
boats navigating  Lake  Ontario,  which  call  here  on  the  passage  up 
or  down  the  river.  -f       &      ± 

LEAYINO  GANANOQUE, 

T-  l^'T^  J,"  ^*  ^'''*  ''^^''  ^  considerable  stretch  of  open  water,  across 
which  the  Gananoque  channel,  so  called,  is  marked  by  a  light  house 
and  beacon,  known  as  "Jack  Straw."  These  serve  both  to  mark 
hidden  shoals  and  as  a  guide  for  the  egress  of  the  navigator  across, 
and  out  of  the  apparently  land-locked  sheet  of  water  which  stretch- 
es away  on  both  sides.  After  passing  between  the  light  and  beacon 
our  boat  leaves  the  usual  channel,  which  we  can  see  marked  by 
another  light  off  to  the  right,  and  plunges  into  the  depth  of 

HALSTEAD'8  BAY, 

I  ij  in^^e  lo  Hxj  way,  uud  which  is  to  all  appearances 
completely  shut  in.  When,  after  passing  dangerously  near  some 
small  rocky  islets,  we  seem  within  a  few  rods  of  landing  upon  a 


THK  ISLAM)    VV'ANDKKkU. 


m 


low  ro<.ky  pcmiL  directly  in  front,  a  sudden  turn  to  the  right  opens 
a  Htruight  but  narrow  estunry  along  which  we  obtain  a  clL  view"! 
in-le  or  ntore  directly  ahead.     What  had  before  appeared  in  a  solid 
.nans  ,».  a  continuous  point  of  the  main  land,  meUs  into  an  Island 
cluster  among  which  as  we  progress,  we  catch  glimpses  of  varied 
and  intricate  channels  in  every  direction.     Prom  the  control 
<;hunnel  along  which  we  now  sail,  other  passages  open  and  ndn^e 
HI  a  labyrinth  seemingly  almost  intermimtble      Once  almost  Lral 
ing  a  round  n>ck  that  rises  on  our  left  much  in  the  sh^"  hay- 
ro<.k  and  not  much  lai'ger,  we  almost  instinctively  listen  for  the 
hock  of   heboat  strikingasshepasses.     But  our  course  is  srlig^^^ 
on,  though  in  a  channel  often  exceedingly  narrow,  but  almost  L 
.lir.ct  as  a  surveyor's  line,  till  finally  emerging  f I'om  a    trHf  h. 
t ween  two  high  rocks,  where  one  could  easily  tL  a"  bbl   to    tllr 
shore   vve  enter  the  more  open  and  usual  channel   where  Tsharn 
turn  to  the  letj,  shows  us  a  light  house  about  two  miir.Uiead    a 
wide  stre  ch  of  water  dotted  with  Islands  all  about,  but  no  vt^'ble 
opemng  through  the  forest-covered,  rock-bound  land,  whi  h   o  al 
appeamnce  completely  blocks  the  way.     Wells  Island  lies  to  the 
rn,ht,  tlie  Canadian  main  to  the  left,  on  both  of  which  a  few' c^ 

tered   farm 
houses  a  n  d 
fenced   fields 
betoken  partial 
cultivation. 
Just    before 
reaching     the 
light  house    a 
little  cluster  of 
Islands  ajjpear 
on    the    right, 
and    Just  past 
these  the  shore 
of  Wells    Isl- 
and rapidly  re- 
cedes,  and  ap- 
pears to   meet 


tile  land  from 


IX LET  TO  THE  LAKE  np  THE  fS'  i  VD 

tion,  but  a  reterence  to  the  map  shows  a  narrow  passage,  which  is 


>^A 


34 


milly  not  more  tlijin 


TIIK    ISLAND    WANDKIiKit, 

I  tUiuiH  loMK  lenp  jhtohs.     ft  is  the  "fnlct 


the  Lake  of  the  Lshind,"  ^lowii  whicli  tl 

rent  Huffldent  to  turn  a  mill,  u  jii.-h  mi-ht  theiv  urimilt 


to 


w  wiiUn-  riish«!H  with  u  cur 


with 


OMh 


end  ea..h  in  C|inu(iaand  the  State  of  New  York,  and  not  l,e'a  very 
hir^re  „nll  either.     The  nuiKnifieent  elnnter  in  front   and   on   h(.tl, 
sKh's  18  conHi(h.,-ed  one  of.the  finent,  if  not  the  very  tineMtin  flie  St 
L^iwrenee.      1  he  Ishinds  are  M'en.rally  weil  wooded,  .ml   you    will 
think  tliem  ^^emH  of  the  first  water.     The  entire  Canadn,  wat'.r  at  tiii. 
point  18  not  much  more  than  n.  mile  in  breadth  an.l  ^mdually  <on- 
tracts  for  about  one  and  a  half  ndles,  and  in  that  s,.ace  are"a},out 
eighty  Islands,  some  of  whichrare  of  considernbie  size  and  in  par- 
tial cu  tivation.     They  seen,  as  if  i)laced  Inn^e  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  damming  the  stream  and  disputing  t he-pa ss.ge  of  the  water 
which  however,  hnds  its  way  in  many  narrow  and  inl  ricate  pa'ssages' 
generally  with  a  raj>id  current,  to  the  open  water  below.     From",he 
broad  channel  in  which  we  have  been  sailing,   we-enter  a  narrow 
pass  of  troubled  waters,  between  the  beetling  blulfsof  -  Vsh  lsl-,n<l' 
and  Lyndoe  light  house,  situate  on  a  small  Island  of  not  morJthan 
one  acre      Our  way  is  for  a/short  space  between  these  almost  per- 
pendicular roc^ks  crowned  witli  forest  growth  on  one  side,  and  Tsl- 
uiKlsof  the  greenest  and  freshest  foliage  on  the   other.      A    lilfl,. 
white  cottage,  the  residence  of  the  liglit  keei)er,  siiows  ilsHf  like  an 
apparition  and  vanishes  like  magic.     We  catch  glimpses  of  liilh. 
spots  of  beauty  which  change  and  are  renewed  like  thepictuivs  of 
a  kaleidoscope.     A  mile  of  sueh  sailing^from  the  light  lu.use  and 
the  boat  swings-again  to  the  right  and  enters  a  narrow  strait,  whence 
lor  a  moment  she  emerges  at  the  end  of  a  broad  sheet,  bounded  by 
Islands  which  are  covered  by  a  forest  growth  of  tlie  greenest  verd- 
ure, but  only  immediately  witli  another  sharp  turn  in  tlieeontraiy 
direction  to  enter  with  the  seething  current  into  another  and  nar- 
rower strait,  where  you^ireralmost  startled  with  the  appearance  of 
a  little  Island  right  under  the  bow,  past  Nvhicl.  the  water  in  rushin.' 
as  Irom  a  broken  mill  dam.     This  is  tlu;  vicinity  of  the  "" 

FIDDLElVti  ELBO  W, 

probably  so  called  from  the  sudden  and  i-apid  turns  necessary  to  its 
navigation,  although  there  is  a  tradition  that  on  some  tine  summer 
afternoons,  the  sweet  sounds  of  a,  violin  liave  been  heard,  andsrm.e 
keen  ev^O  «in"ht-aiipi'ci  luAr^j  £,,.,.,  ...  j.  _    i     ■   .        ,. 

-_-.i-     v.u  ....^.,1  ,,.,Hi,s  .,,,vr,  even  ijj-«;iendeti  to  ui-secrn  Mu'   ai)tH'ar- 

ance  of  an  old-man  with  something  that  looked  like  a  fiddle  ac<-om 
panied  by  a  smaU  boy,  on  a  (diff  at  the  liead  of  an  Island  upon  which 


I'JIK   ISLAND   WANr)KllEn. 


n/? 


it  Is  know,,  fhat  a  U<,ht  hon.o  formerly  stood.     Hut  wlu^ther  it  bo 
,  nor  even  L.ipt.  V  i.s^er,  sMfiun u,I,Ih  to  ^\v,,  unv  account      Tlw. 

/.O^^r  GHAIsNKL. 

.nos    iiitemsting  aiul  romantic  Jiistories  of  1,he   Jfp  of   T  wi 

passHne-ers  sparclif.fi  m  r.,,^  ;    i  •      ^  '^i«^i«ciarion  ot  ins 

1        iif,*^i»,  searcned  it  out  m  hia  steam  yacht,  the   "  Wandprar  " 

other  .r^n  ?i    •    """"y-  ^™"'  *h«  very  sufficient  reason  that  no 
S  ;;f.,:'^^!::"";  y  '^^''Pf-l  '»  »•>«  l^rpose  for  which  it  w"" 

that  n;;t;:;;hrFrtn:.rp  ■  r"  '''"""''^'''  -^'^  •^•'■•^ » -  ««r^-" 

«ver  ha  "  fo,  nd  ft  h,f  f     "^f""  ""''r"  '"^  ^'""""  •'''"'^^  "«»« 

Muir  M  Em  Hsi,  nfH  ,    *'  ™''""y  •'■•"'^^''^y  "*  Lie-tenant 

«",  an  i!,ngl,sh  oflicer  who  accompanied  the  expedition  with  the 


86 


^j 


TTIT:  island   WANtKHKU. 


real  design  of  betraying  it  to  the  Prencli,  but  covered  his  nefarious 
purpose  with  the  pretense  of  making  love  to  Mabel  Dunham,  the 
pretty  daughter  of  the  Sergeant  in  command  of  the  parry.  It  is  to 
be  regretted  that  no  amount  of  research  has  yet  discovered  the 
ruins  of  the  log  fort,  or  exm^tly  identilied  the  spot  where  these 
notable  events  transpired,  and  it  is  hereby  suggested  that  a 
promising  field  is  here  open  for  the  labors  of  amateur  anticpiarians 
where  more  minute  researches  n)ight  be  as  amply  rewai-ded  as 
were  those  of  Jonathan  Oldenbuck  in  bis  famous  exploration  of 
the  Kaim  of  Kinpruries.* 

As  we  emerge  from  the  cluster  of  the  "Fiddler's  Elbow  '•  we 
come  into  view  of  Grenadier  Island  Light  House,  the  same  seen  at 
Alexandria  Bay  before  starting.  A  few  houses  and  fences  are  to 
be  seen  upon  the  shore  of  "La  Rue,"  the  large  Canadian  Island 
at  the  right,  but  the  main,  which  is  now  visible  on  the  left,  is  high 
and  m  many  places  precipitous.  Only  a  single  house  with  a  dock 
on  which  is  piled  wood,  ready  corded,  for  sale  to  passing  steamers, 
relieves  the  almost  unbroken  wilderness  shore.  Just  below^  this 
whicli  is  Darling's  wharf,  tlie  Captain,  if  the  day  is  sufficiently 
quiet,  will  let  you  hear  a 

VERY  Dr:TlNCT  AND  DISTANT  ECHO, 

produced  evidently  by  the  return  of  the  sound  of  his  whistle  'from 
the  perpendicular  rock  just  opposite. 

Along  down  this  usual  C^anadian  channel,  past  both  La  Rue 
and  Club  Islands,  some  signs  are  manifest  of  the  cultivation  of  the 
land  in  small  patches  between  tlie  rocks  on  both  sides  of  us 
Swinging  short  around  the  foot  of  Club  Island,  in  front  of  a  little 
Canadian  hamlet,  very  appropriately  named  Rockport,  we  soon 
leave  Canadian  waters,  and  catch  a  view  of  several  cottages  and 
the  Hotel  on  . 

WESTMINSTER  PARK, 

at  whose  dock  we  make  our  last  landing  Iwfore  returning  to  Alex- 
andria Bay.  The  name  is  at  once  sugget-tive  of  something  Presby- 
terian, but  we  ciin  assure  the  reader  that  there  is  nothing  uni)leas- 
antly  "blue"  about  this  Park.  The  Association  was  formed  prin- 
cipally by  gentlemen  in  sympathy  with  the  Presbyterian  church, 


dentifylug  it       ^        '^'         l'a'"«»'a>'.y  poinf^.l  out  to  ^"very  passenger  who  takes  the  least  interest  in 


'iftK   rSLANi)  WANDEnKii. 


St 


I 


)>ut  its  gutes  are  always  freely  wide  open  to  every  one     The  oman 
ization  was  i'onnally  elTected  <.rwl  l.,n.i  ..      i        i-       ^"^"^  ^^^an- 
1877,  and  during  tl  e  f aU  of  t W  v        ^''''f'^'^'^  '^  Beptember, 
He-nino-   -rul      .      •  ^^  ^*'^'*  ""^^^'^  ^^^»  commenced   in 

vMiiili  u,ve  (d  .1  large  ])art  of  the  grounds.     Lots  were  laid  out  and 

Slf  rVr*  '""'■"  «'"««-^'Mve,  we  do  not  pretend  Ud^de' 

sZ?l  '  t"\''""«™°  ""««^  ■^l'"*''«'-«  t"  'I'-aw  the  cro«-ds,  only? 
Sunday  school  convention  for  a  week  having  been  held    n^RTQ 

u^*c:rs:.;;^:;:rd-;:'t:;/t^dr^^^ 
:,;*  trti -r  ■"  *^  -"■•'■-'  -"  ";i:x;^^^^^^^^^^^ 

Seteu^ethenr"'"'"  ""•""^'"   ""^  "'   '^^"'^   ^^  «'—"«' 

n  -M^M  t  ;  f,        f  ""'*'' '""  '"'■•^"  """»i''«™'>ks  >.olid,  and  of  good 
in,i,ttnal,  but  from  the  great  extent  of  the  gronnds  is  not  so  ohv! 

nted    'VT:'«  «■"""  ="  "  '"«  ->P->enrent«  were  ™1  co.^e„: 

have  large  faith  that  this  is  yet  to  be  the  Par?  ,,f  the  nn,  f 

s  ands^    In  its  natara,  features,  and  tt  gr^  \  fri^  on^'r 

W.ar.a„dthegrea::'hS^^ 

4ve  It  t      *'f  S'-f^t«^t«>"Hn,l  variety  of  its  natural  forest  growth 
give  It  the  advantages  of  n.ingled  and  various  views  of  htnf  v^tZ 

n,  arest  avenues,  an,l  so  get  a  glin.pse  of  some  of  the  cottages 


'    i 


d8 


^ilt  islAi^D  WANl>ERl^:1t 


embowered  among  the  trees,  but  to  fully  explore  them  -Al,  needs  a. 
day,  or  at  least  several  hours,  when  as  we  walk  or  ride,  each  new 
turn  will  reveal  new  and  different  phases  of  natural  loveliness. 

Leaving  the  dock  at  Westminster  Park,  our  course  is  at  first 
along  its  northerly  shore,  a  rocky  blu ft"  of  some  forty  or  fifty  feet 
in  height,    upon  whose  summit  msiy  be  seen  sume  eh^gMut  resi- 
dences but  half  hidden  in  the  fo^-est  wh  ich  crowns  it.     Doubling  the 
Cape  at  the  foot  of  Wells  Island,  we  turn  our  prow  in  the  direction 
of  Alexandria  Bay,  of  whose  immense  hotels,  esj)e(;ially  the  impos- 
ing front  and  tower  of  the  Thousand  Island  House,  we  have  at 
intervals  caught  sight,  since  rounding  the  lower  end  of  Club  Island, 
opposite  Rockport.     We  get  a  distant  view  of  sevc^ral  fine  places 
to  the  eastward,  which  are  on  a  cluster  of  small  Islands  known  as 
''the  Chai7i,''  some  of  which  are  built  upon  a'nd  improved.     The 
finest  places  are  probably   those   of  H.  A.  Packer,  and   Robejf 
Packer,*  sons  of  the  late  A|a  Packer,  President  of  the  Lejiioh 
Valley  Railroad  and-Coal  Company,  and  largely  connected  with  the 
Coal  and  Iron  Interests  of  Pennsylvania.     These  gentlemen  have 
expended  large  sums  in  building  and  beautifying  their  Ishmds. 
Among  the  ornamental  struc^tures  is  a  very  fine' Iron  bridge  joining 
two  of  their  Islands,  under  which  the  smaller  class  of  our  steam 
yachts  pass  freely,  and  which  is  reported  to  have  cost  not  less  than 
five  thousand  dollars. 

^  The  view  of  these  places  is,  however,  too  distant  to  be  perfectly 
satisfactory,  unless,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  when  time  permits,  Capt. 
Visger  passes  around  that  way  to  give  his  passengers  an  oi)])'ortun- 
ity  for  a  nearer  inspection.  In  that  case  we  should  find  otluu-  and 
quite  extensive  improvements  in  the  neighborhood,  notably  on 
"Summer-Land,"  the  largest  Island  of  this  cluster.  This,  wliicli 
contains  about  fifteen  acres,  ha,s  been  purchased  by  a  company  of 
gentlemen  mostly  from  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  who  have  already  erect- 
ed twelve  or  fifteen  cottages,  and  more  are  in  contemplation. 

At  our  right  as  we  pass  up,  and  somewhat  higher  than  tlie 
*' Chain,"  we  get  a  good  view  of  "Fairy- Land,"  an  Island  of  some 
twenty  acres,  on  which  the  Ilaydens,  father  and  sons,  of  Colum- 
bus, Ohio,  have  made  and  are  constantly  adding  to  imi)rovements 
upon  their  summer  homes,  of  an  extent  and  variety  no  where  else 
sui-passed  in  this  vicinity.  Three  fine  residences  front  tlie  water, 
whose  surroundings  have  been  beautified  with  an  imtirin*--  care  and 


pythellland?'*'^''*^''^*'""'''"''"*"'"*''^''"*''^*"'''*'  '^"^  their  families  continue  to  own  m,.1  oc.-n- 


THE  ISLAND    WANDKKER. 


89 


_?ir'*^i*^^^^ 


^ipfi* 


r«lr^l?^;Hr< 


II  and  oci'ii- 


at  an  expense  wliidi  must  have 

almidyreacliedfarintotlie  thou- 
sands. I3oat  houses,  ya,cht  hous- 
es and  other  conveniences  for  the 
enjoyment  of  life  upon  the  river 
are  by  the  water-side,  whi  le  a  tine 
tower  for  outh.ok,  surmounted 
hy  a  flag-staif,  crowns  tlie  sum- 
nut,  and  windmills  raise  the 
wnter  from  the  river  into  taidis 
.  wli,>n(;e  it  is  distrihuted  for  irri-    ~ 

.alin^  Jawns,  and  the  supply  of  every  conceivable  want 

"'-r"''= 

to7i    S   C    ZtVi     t  ^^'^'"^^^^b  engaged  inj)usiness at  Cliarles- 

n   S  C.    b  t  who  for  several  years  almost  made  his  home  in  Z 

n  1   i  H  :?"^r^"  f'-     "^  -"^^  «^«I«i-d  -'Piantagane?'' 

u         'Fh^I         \        ''''  ^'^^^^^^^  place  to  a  more  pretentious  erec- 

r  who    \;f  p'  "^"  "'"  ^^  '^"^^^  ^^^-'hue,  of  Brooklvn  N^  Y  , 

i.nino^menK   nX.ui;n:- """T'^' .T '  ^"'^^"^^^  and '  elaborate 


40 


1 1 


'in 


^    , 


TJIE   ISLAND    WANDKUKK. 


has  also,  we  believe,  l)aptizedtlie  Island  with  the  name  of  St.  John's. 
Shortly  beyond  this  we  pass  quite  near  enough  t'orag(KKl  view 
of  "Manliattan,"  Judge  Spencers  elegant  summer  home,  before  re- 
ferred to.  We  obtain  a  distant  view  of  "Long  Branch,"  owned  by 
Mrs.  Clarke,  of  Watertown,who  visits  and  entertains  hosts  of  friends 
here,  and  nearer,  of  ' 'Point  Marguerite,  the  summer  place  of  E.  An- 


f 

Klf';lla£«iiijte 

TOWOWKflM'  liii'  liimiiSm  ■ 

'■'"'3'     '-ui^ 

'   ' '                  ..V' 
'•    't'        '  '■■■'    !■ 

■  :   '    ^  '-mm 

,1  ".vl 

ji|ill|if 

1 

iil 

Hi; 

Hi' 

%>//•  "'/i^Myuij-i^er'' 


thony,  Esq.  The  latter  gentleman  has  luTtMibout  2f)  acres  of  land 
lying  contiguous  to  the  shore,  where  he  indulges  his  taste  for  coun- 
try life  in  directing  the  cultivation  of  garden  and  grounds.  He  is, 
however,  better  known  among  photographic  and  picture  men,  as  an 
early  discoverer  and  successful  operator  in  idiotography.  a,nd  edits 
a  monthly  journal  devoted  to  it.  He  piol)al)ly  made  some  of  the 
first,  perhaps  the  Very  first  sun  pictures  ever  produced  in  .Vmeiicn. 
He  is  now  the  head  of  the  oldest  and  most  extensive  house  in  the 
country  for  the  supply  of  instruments  and  nuiterials  to  that  line  of 
art.  We  j)ass  quite  near  the  light  house  and  direclly  in  fi-ontof  Bon- 
nie Castle,  landing  in  good  time,  and  with  ana] ipetite  sharpened  for 
supper  by  the  bracing  and  life-giving  breezes  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 
The  trip  has  given  us  all  a  rare  a,nd  inexp«3nsive  treat,  not  soon 
to  be  forgotten,  and  we  instinctively  resolve  to  repeat  it  at  the  first 
favora-ble  opportunity. 


AnVERTISEMENTS 


COlffAlL  BEOTHEBS'  TICKET  ABENCI, 


LOWEST  EXCURSION  RATES. 

OFFICE  at  STONE  STORE  STEAMERS  LANDING. 

Al8.  A«ESTS  AMERICAS  EXPRESS  CO..  .„,!  Defers  i. 

flSHING  TJCKLE,  MMP  AND  ISLMD  AND  GENERAL  MEfiCHANOISE, 

TIME  OF  DEPARTURE  AND  ARRIVAL  OF  BOATS: 


Arrlve'irjgd'e'nSKa'oV-'rS.^        Arrive  at  Montreal  0:3o  p.  m.    Leave  tor  Ogd.nsburg  7-00  a  m 
EromiiSeVlSn'!  ^^^XlSSTr  ^^=^  "  ™'-  ^*=<«  ™"  «=^  P'  «»•  ^n^l  ^:«'  P-m. 


STEAMER   "  ISLAND   WANDERER 


ff 


ayj^^/^"^^  -»^«  '-^P  -ong  t.e  islanas  at  S:00  a.  m.  and  .:15  p,  „.,  rotm^ng  at  l.oo  .x... 


DISTANCES  FROM  ALEXANDRIA  BAY: 


To  isfJagara  Falls ._,  ^,  ^„„a 

iviuutrcul 'foj  ","""■ 

Watertowo '.l™ Si   ., 

Ottawa — jg   „ 

White  Mountains".".'"!"." "o^  .. 

Saratoga,  via  Montreal "379   •• 


mttsburg,  via  Moitfs"ai::::".:::::::: J  :: 

Albany,  via  Montfeau'.^Iir" "417    «. 

Boh.ton,  via  Portland .r..".".".'.".".":."M7    «« 


nf" 


ill 


ADVERTISKMENTS. 

THE  OLD  AND  RELIABLE  LINE, 

RICHELIEU  AND  ONTARIO  NAVIGATION  CO. 

THB  OSLY  LISE  RUSSISO  THIiOUGU  BOATS  BHTWEKS 

Clajfon,  Round  Island  and  .Thousand  Island  Parts,  Alexandria  Bay  and  Monfreal 


TT^riTHOTTT  OZX.A.3>TO-X:. 


THE  ONLY  LINB  MAKING  IMMEDIATE  CONNECTION 

with  Steamers  at  Montreal  for  Quebec,  and  all  routes  lor  the  White  Mountains,  Portland,  Boston, 

Saratoga,  New  York  and  the  south. 

Tbrongh  the  Lakes  of  the  Thousand  Islands 

DOWN    THE    RAPIDS    BY    DAYLIGHT. 

All  the  Rapids  nre  run  under  the  guidance  of  old  and  experienced  pilots,  Including  the  world 
famous  Indian  "BAPTlvSTB."  »-        >  » 

teave  CLAVTON 6:30  A.M. 

"      KOIJNI)  Isr.AND  PARK  .  - 6-40      " 

"     riioirsAvn  island  park      - t-oo     «• 

"      ALKXANDRIA  MAY        -  r  -  -■ 7.".30      " 

Arrive  Muntreat  -------._.  0:30  P.  M. 

By  an  arrangement  With  tho. ORANl)  TRl'NK  RAILWAY,  Tourists  and  others  can  procure 
"OPTIONAL  TICKETS,"  enabling  the  holder  to  travel  byNTEAMEKor  RAIL  fora  whole  or  anor- 
Uuu  or  til.'  route  thus  obv  ia,i\uj;  tue  ueeossily  of  deciding  as  \a  the  conveyance  before  starting. 

WIIil.IAl»I  EDC^IR,  ALEX.  9IILI.OY, 

O.  p.  Agent  Grand  Trunk  Railway.  Trav.  Manager  R.  &  O.  Nav.  Co. 


NGO. 


Montreal 


ION 

.nd,  Boston, 

ilands 


r  the  world 


0:30  A.M. 

0:40  " 
7:0O  " 
7:30  " 
0:30  P.  M. 


an  procure 
11 R  or  u  nor- 
itlng. 


>.  Nav.  Co. 


